title: Etiology of diarrhea in children younger than 5 years of age admitted in a rural hospital of southern Mozambique.
abstract: Diarrhea is one of the main causes of morbidity and mortality among children in sub-Saharan Africa and one of the main causes of hospital admissions in rural areas. Stool samples were collected from 529 children admitted with diarrhea to the Manhiça District Hospital (September 2000 to September 2001) and processed to detect bacterial enteropathogens, parasites, and virus. Diarrheagenic Escherichia coli, isolated from 120 samples (22.6%; enteroaggregative [corrected] [9.6%], enterotoxigenic [6.8%], enteropathogenic [corrected] [4.3%], and verotoxigenic [1.9%]) was the most frequently isolated pathogen, followed by Ascaris lumbricoides (9.3%). Others detected included Salmonella spp. and Giardia lamblia (2.5% each) and Campylobacter spp. (1.7%). A. lumbricoides (92% versus 8%; P<0.001) and Strongyloides stercolaris (100% versus 0%; P=0.008) were most frequently isolated in children older than 12 months of age. Resistance to trimethoprim-sulphametoxazole and ampicillin was high. Etiologic data on diarrheal diseases and susceptibility patterns of diarrheal pathogens are important tools for clinical management and control strategic planning.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Investigação em Saúde da Manhiça, Moçambique. inacio.mandomando@manhica.net
authors.forename: Inácio M
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Mandomando
authors.forename: Eusébio V
authors.initials: EV
authors.lastname: Macete
authors.forename: Joaquim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ruiz
authors.forename: Sergi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sanz
authors.forename: Fatima
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Abacassamo
authors.forename: Xavier
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Vallès
authors.forename: Jahit
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sacarlal
authors.forename: Margarita M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Navia
authors.forename: Jordi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vila
authors.forename: Pedro L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Alonso
authors.forename: Joaquim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gascon
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D004351:Drug Resistance; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006780:Hospitals, Rural; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000150:complications; D009073:Mozambique