title: Detection of enteric viral and bacterial pathogens associated with paediatric diarrhoea in Goroka, Papua New Guinea.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to investigate the viral and bacterial causes of acute watery diarrhoea in hospitalized children in Papua New Guinea.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective analysis was conducted on stool samples collected from 199 children (age <5 years) admitted to the paediatric ward of Goroka General Hospital from August 2009 through November 2010. A large range of viral and bacterial enteric pathogens were targeted using real-time PCR/RT-PCR assays.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Young children were much more likely to be admitted with acute gastroenteritis, with 62.8% of patients aged <1 year and 88.4% aged <2 years. An enteric pathogen was detected in 69.8% (n=138) of patients. The most commonly detected pathogens were Shigella spp (26.6%), rotavirus (25.6%), adenovirus types 40/41 (11.6%), enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (11.1%), enteropathogenic E. coli (8.5%), norovirus G2 (6.0%), and Campylobacter spp (4.0%). Norovirus G1, sapovirus, and Salmonella spp were also detected, but below our statistical limit of detection. Vibrio cholerae and astrovirus were not detected in any patients. Mixed infections were detected in 22.1% of patients, with Shigella and rotavirus most commonly detected in co-infections with other pathogens.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrates that Shigella and rotavirus are the major pathogens associated with acute paediatric gastroenteritis in this setting.
authors.affiliation: Papua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research, PO Box 60, Goroka EHP441, Papua New Guinea.
authors.forename: Kevin W
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Soli
authors.affiliation: Papua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research, PO Box 60, Goroka EHP441, Papua New Guinea.
authors.forename: Tobias
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Maure
authors.affiliation: Papua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research, PO Box 60, Goroka EHP441, Papua New Guinea.
authors.forename: Monalisa P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Kas
authors.affiliation: Papua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research, PO Box 60, Goroka EHP441, Papua New Guinea.
authors.forename: Grace
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bande
authors.affiliation: Papua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research, PO Box 60, Goroka EHP441, Papua New Guinea.
authors.forename: Sauli
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bebes
authors.affiliation: Papua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research, PO Box 60, Goroka EHP441, Papua New Guinea.
authors.forename: Dagwin
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Luang-Suarkia
authors.affiliation: Papua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research, PO Box 60, Goroka EHP441, Papua New Guinea.
authors.forename: Peter M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Siba
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Ecology, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Ayako
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Morita
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Ecology, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Masahiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Umezaki
authors.affiliation: Papua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research, PO Box 60, Goroka EHP441, Papua New Guinea; School of Applied and Biomedical Sciences, Federation University, Churchill, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Andrew R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Greenhill
authors.affiliation: Papua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research, PO Box 60, Goroka EHP441, Papua New Guinea. Electronic address: paul.horwood@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Paul F
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Horwood
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009512:New Guinea / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies
keywords: Aetiology; Diarrhoea; Gastroenteritis; Papua New Guinea; Rotavirus; Shigella