Diarrhea Caused by Enteropathogenic Bacteria in Children

Background-Diarrhea is a major cause of mortality in 15 to 20 percent of the under 5-year-olds, and among the bacterial agents causing diarrhea, the five most important are Shigella, Salmonella, E. coli, Campylobacter and Yersinia.Methods-In a one-year study conducted in cooperation with a local health center in Islamshahr, South of Tehran, rectal swabs were collected from children less than 5 years of age who presented with diarrhea. Frequency evaluations of Yersinia and Campylobacter along with other intestinal bacterial pathogens were made.Results-A total of 1600 samples were analyzed, 235 (14.7%) of which were positive. Most (119 cases; 50%) high-risk ages included children less than 2 years of age. Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) was the most common (109 cases; 6.8%) cause of diarrhea followed by Shigella (54 cases; 3.4%), Salmonella (46 cases; 2.9%), Campylobacter (15 cases; 0.9%) and Yersinia (11 cases; 0.7%). Seasonal investigations show that, with the exception of Yersinia, all pathogenic bacteria are the most frequently isolated organisms occurring in the summer. Conclusion-Better knowledge about the causes of infection and the epidemiological situation could help the management of intestinal infections.