1. Pediatric diarrhea in southern Ghana: etiology and association with intestinal inflammation and malnutrition.
- Author
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Opintan JA, Newman MJ, Ayeh-Kumi PF, Affrim R, Gepi-Attee R, Sevilleja JE, Roche JK, Nataro JP, Warren CA, and Guerrant RL
- Subjects
- Case-Control Studies, Child Nutrition Disorders epidemiology, Child, Preschool, Cross-Sectional Studies, Diarrhea etiology, Dysentery, Bacillary complications, Dysentery, Bacillary epidemiology, Dysentery, Bacillary microbiology, Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli genetics, Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli pathogenicity, Escherichia coli Infections complications, Escherichia coli Infections epidemiology, Escherichia coli Infections microbiology, Feces chemistry, Feces microbiology, Feces parasitology, Female, Ghana epidemiology, Humans, Infant, Infant, Newborn, Lactoferrin analysis, Male, Parasitic Diseases complications, Parasitic Diseases epidemiology, Parasitic Diseases parasitology, Polymerase Chain Reaction, Prospective Studies, Virulence, Child Nutrition Disorders complications, Diarrhea complications, Diarrhea epidemiology, Gastroenteritis complications
- Abstract
Diarrhea is a major public health problem that affects the development of children. Anthropometric data were collected from 274 children with (N = 170) and without (N = 104) diarrhea. Stool specimens were analyzed by conventional culture, polymerase chain reaction for enteroaggregative Escherichia coli (EAEC), Shigella, Cryptosporidium, Entamoeba, and Giardia species, and by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for fecal lactoferrin levels. About 50% of the study population was mildly to severely malnourished. Fecal lactoferrin levels were higher in children with diarrhea (P = 0.019). Children who had EAEC infection, with or without diarrhea, had high mean lactoferrin levels regardless of nutritional status. The EAEC and Cryptosporidium were associated with diarrhea (P = 0.048 and 0.011, respectively), and malnourished children who had diarrhea were often co-infected with both Cryptosporidium and EAEC. In conclusion, the use of DNA-biomarkers revealed that EAEC and Cryptosporidium were common intestinal pathogens in Accra, and that elevated lactoferrin was associated with diarrhea in this group of children.
- Published
- 2010
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