The microbial aetiology of summer paediatric gastroenteritis at Ga-Rankuwa Hospital in South Africa.
Stool material from seventy-eight children below the age of three years was examined for the presence of various enteropathogens. The patients had been admitted to the Ga-Rankuwa hospital for rehydration therapy. A causative agent was identified in 76.9% of the cases studied. The most prevalent organisms identified were 38.5% entero-toxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC), 25.6% Cryptosporidium parvum, 15.4% Campylobacter sp., 14.1% enteric adenoviruses and 12.8% rotavirus. In 38.5% of cases, a mixed infection was observed with up to four different organisms being identified from a single patient. ETEC elaborating heat-labile toxin (LT) found together with C. parvum was the most common combination seen in mixed infections.
Department of Microbiology, Medical University of South Africa, Medunsa.
A
A
Geyer
H H
HH
Crewe-Brown
A S
AS
Greeff
P J
PJ
Fripp
A D
AD
Steele
T V
TV
Van Schalkwyk
C G
CG
Clay
D002675:Child, Preschool; D003681:Dehydration / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D005440:Fluid Therapy; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D010343:Patient Admission; D012621:Seasons; D013019:South Africa / Q000453:epidemiology