Prevalence of Candida species in Nigerian children with diarrhoea.
A total of 257 stool specimens comprising 203 from diarrhoeal children and 54 asymptomatic controls were collected from patients attending different hospitals/clinics in Lagos and Ekpoma, Nigeria and were screened for fungal agents using standard methods. Of the total number screened, 165 (64.2%) patients had fungal agents in their stools. Of these, 157 (77.3%) patients had diarrhoea and 8 (14.8%) patients were asymptomatic. Of these total number of positive isolates, Candida albicans, C. tropicalis, C. pseudotropicalis, C. glabrata and C. parasilosis accounted for 59.4%, 30.9%, 5.0%, 3.0% and 1.8% in that order. Results revealed a significant relationship (p < 0.05) between fungi and incidence of diarrhoea in children. There was no significant relationship (p > 0.05) between the age group studied and the incidence of fungal diarrhoea in children. The sex of the children also showed no significant relationship (p > 0.05) with the incidence of fungal diarrhoea. Results have revealed the emergence of Candida species in cases of childhood diarrhoea in our environment.
Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Edo State University, Ekpoma, Nigeria.
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Jokpeyibo
D002175:Candida / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D009549:Nigeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence