Publication:

Bacterial enteropathogens causing acute diarrhoea in children in a tertiary care hospital, Imphal

Background Diarrhoeal diseases are responsible for causing 3 million deaths worldwide every year especially among the children and also the commonest cause of morbidity and mortality in developing countries like India. Infective diarrhoea could be either bacterial, viral, parasitic or occasionally a combination of these.

Methods A cross-sectional study was carried out in children below 12 years with acute diarrhoea in theMicrobiology Department, RIMS, Imphal for a period of 2 years. Stool samples were subjected to routine microbiological examination, followed by culture and sensitivity. Data were collected in a predesigned data collection sheet.

Results Majority of the diarrhoeal cases were seen among the age group of 1-3 years (44.3%), predominantly among the male children (66.2%) and mostly in summer. Out of 210 culture positive stool samples, Escherichia coli(83.3%) was the predominant enteropathogen with followed by Shigella spp.(12.9%), Klebsiella spp. (2.9%) and Salmonella spp. (1%). Serotyping revealed thirty five enteropathogenic E. coli, eighteen Shigella flexneri, seven Shigellasonnei, two Shigella boydii and two Salmonella typhimurium. Majority of the isolates showed high resistance to amoxicillin, ampicillin, ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin and cotrimoxazole.

Conclusions Bacterial enteropathogens are an important cause of acute diarrhoea among children. Rehydration therapy remains the initial treatment. Though it is usually self-limiting, empirical and specific antimicrobial therapy can be considered in certain situations. Awareness of improving hygiene and infectious diseases may help reduce the burden of infection.