Diarrhoea in children under five years of age in South Africa (1997-2014).
To present evidence from available reliable published data on the prevalence, incidence and severity of diarrhoea in children aged under five years in South Africa.



We searched seven electronic databases. Two reviewers assessed the studies independently and extracted outcome data. The heterogeneity of the studies did not allow for a meta-analysis.



We found only one nationally representative study conducted in 1998 reporting a diarrhoea prevalence of 13% in children under five. Other studies were conducted in smaller settings across the country. Diarrhoea incidence was 10.13 per 1000 person years in children admitted to a tertiary hospital. Three studies reported severity of diarrhoea; however, they differed across study settings and time period.



The paucity of nationally representative prevalence data for SA necessitates more national surveys with standardised data-collection methods to allow for more effective comparisons.
Burden of Disease Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Tygerberg, South Africa.
Oluwatoyin F
OF
Awotiwon
Burden of Disease Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Tygerberg, South Africa.
Victoria
V
Pillay-van Wyk
Burden of Disease Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Tygerberg, South Africa.|Division of Human Nutrition, Faculty of Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Tygerberg, South Africa.|Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Tygerberg, South Africa.
Ali
A
Dhansay
Health Systems Research Unit, Health Systems Trust, Westville, South Africa.
Candy
C
Day
Burden of Disease Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Tygerberg, South Africa.
Debbie
D
Bradshaw
D002675:Child, Preschool; D003681:Dehydration / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013019:South Africa / Q000453:epidemiology
Afrique du Sud; Children under five; Dehydration; Deshidratación; Diarrea; Diarrhoea; Incidence; Incidencia; Niños menores de cinco años; Prevalence; Prevalencia; Severidad; Severity; South Africa; Sudáfrica; diarrhée; déshydratation; enfants de moins de cinq ans; incidence; prévalence; sévérité