title: Value of stool examination in patients with diarrhoea.
abstract: Findings of stool examinations in 1593 patients with diarrhoea due to a single enteric pathogen--enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli rotavirus, Shigella, Campylobacter jejuni, Vibrio cholerae 0:1, Entamoeba histolytica, or Giardia lamblia--were reviewed to determine how well they predicted the agent associated with the diarrhoea. Specimens were examined visually for blood and mucus, tested for pH, and examined under a microscope for the presence of red and white blood cells, parasites, and stool fat. Although visible blood was more common in specimens from patients infected with Shigella (51%) and Ent histolytica (39%) than in those from patients infected with other agents (6%; p less than 0.01), patients infected with Shigella were most likely to have numerous faecal leucocytes (greater than 50/high power field: 39% v 8% of all patients and 7% of patients infected with Ent histolytica, p less than 0.01 in both cases). Patients infected with enterotoxigenic E coli, rotavirus, V cholerae 0:1, or C jejuni had loose stools with fewer red or white cells. Patients infected with rotavirus and C jejuni were more likely to have acid stools with 3 to 4+ fat, but these findings were related to young age and breast feeding. Stool examination is most useful in establishing a diagnosis of dysentery and in helping to distinguish between patients infected with Shigella and Ent histolytica; it is of limited usefulness in discriminating between pathogens causing watery diarrhoea.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D002168:Campylobacter fetus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000175:diagnosis*; D004748:Entamoeba histolytica / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004906:Erythrocyte Count; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005243:Feces / Q000032:analysis / Q000166:cytology / Q000382:microbiology*; D005872:Giardia / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007223:Infant; D008055:Lipids / Q000032:analysis; D008875:Middle Aged; D012401:Rotavirus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012760:Shigella / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014734:Vibrio cholerae / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D008055:Lipids