title: Polymicrobial infections in children with diarrhoea in a rural area of Jordan.
abstract: Polymicrobial infections associated with diarrhoea are common in developing countries. Stool specimens were collected from 220 patient children and 100 controls. Potential pathogenic agents isolated from 143 (65%) children were identified by molecular and standard microbiological methods. Co-infections with two or more agents were detected in 50 (35%) cases. Escherichia coli, Shigella dysenteriae, Giardia and Entamoeba histolytica were found to be predominant. The etiologic agents could not be determined in 77 (35%) cases. The most significant risk factors were the age, the education level of the mother and the use of non-chlorinated water. The high infection rate of diarrhoeal diseases is a strong indication that these pathogens circulate easily through the population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid 22110, Jordan. nimri@just.edu.jo
authors.forename: Laila F
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Nimri
authors.forename: Ziad
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Elnasser
authors.forename: Raymond
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Batchoun
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000209:etiology*; D004748:Entamoeba histolytica / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004756:Enterobacteriaceae Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000382:microbiology; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005872:Giardia / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007411:Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / Q000150:complications* / Q000469:parasitology; D007597:Jordan; D012307:Risk Factors; D012401:Rotavirus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012400:Rotavirus Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000821:virology; D012424:Rural Population; D012762:Shigella dysenteriae / Q000302:isolation & purification