[Diarrheic diseases in children. Rationalization of fecal test]. / Maladies diarrhéiques de l'enfant. Pour une rationalisation des examens de selles.

The level of diarrheic diseases among children in Burkina Faso is very high. The identification of aetiologic agents of diarrhoea in hospitalized children (0-36 months) is one of the objectives of the study. All children less than 37 months old admitted to the Pediatric Unit of the National Hospital Souro Sanou of Bobo-Dioulasso between January 1990 and March 1991, were investigated by a standardized clinical examination, and in addition, we do an analysis of a rectal swab at admission and a stool to identify aetiologic enteric agents. As a conclusion to the study: an agent was isolated in 56% of the children with diarrhoea, and in 40% of the children without diarrhoea; some germs (such Salmonella, Shigella, Entamoeba) are found in children both with and without diarrhoea; also, the total of these examinations comes to 20 US $ per episode, or 100 US $ per children/year in Burkina Faso where the number of bouts reaches 5 times per year per infant who is less than 5 years old. Stool samples are not beneficial for children with diarrhoea, neither for the diagnosis nor for the treatment. There fore these types of routine exams should not be used in Sub-Saharan Africa.