title: Epidemiology, clinical course and impact on hospitalization costs of acute diarrhea among hospitalized children in Athens, Greece.
abstract: The aim of this study was to describe the etiology, morbidity and hospitalization costs associated with acute diarrhea among hospitalized children in Greece. During 1999, 294 hospitalized children (median age 1 y) with acute diarrhea were prospectively studied. Bacterial and viral enteropathogens were detected in 100 (34%) and 37 (12.5%) patients, respectively; 17 (6%) patients had mixed infections. Isolated agents included Salmonella spp. (43 patients; 15%), rotavirus (32; 11%), Campylobacter spp. (26; 9%), enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (16; 5.5%), Shigella spp. (11; 4%), Aeromonas spp. (7; 2.5%), adenovirus (6; 2%), Yersinia enterocolitica (6; 2%), enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (2; 0.5%) and Giardia lamblia (1; 0.5%). Of the patients with bacterial infection, 70% were admitted between April and September 1999. A rotavirus-associated peak was noted in March. Patients with a bacterial infection were hospitalized for longer periods than those with viral infections. It is concluded that bacterial enteropathogens account for one-third of admissions due to acute diarrhea among children in Greece and are associated with significant hospitalization costs. Rotavirus is also a frequent cause of acute diarrhea necessitating hospitalization.
authors.affiliation: Second Department of Pediatrics, University of Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Kafetzis
authors.forename: H C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Maltezou
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zafeiropoulou
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Attilakos
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Stavrinadis
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Foustoukou
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D017677:Age Distribution; D002167:Campylobacter / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002648:Child; D002673:Child, Hospitalized / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000191:economics* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D019453:Escherichia coli O157 / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece / Q000453:epidemiology; D017721:Hospital Costs; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012401:Rotavirus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012475:Salmonella / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012621:Seasons; D012760:Shigella / Q000302:isolation & purification