Role of parasites and mycobacterial infection in persistent diarrhea in Egyptian rural preschool children

A community study was done searching for the causative agents of persistent diarrhea in a rural village. Zoonosis was claimed to play a role in causing diarrhea in infants and children being always in contact with the animals present in the same house. We were focusing on searching for the parasites and microorganisms in the stools of infants and children as well as in animal excreta and animal drops. A new laboratory technique for the identification of Giardia and Cryptosporidium was implemented for better diagnosis of both parasites. Ninety three infants and children of age ranging between six months and 4 years were included in the study, they were divided into 3 groups: a group of 40 children who were suffereing form chronic diarrhea, a second group of 33 children suffering from acute diarrhea and a third control group of 20 children. They were all subjected to clinical examination and anthropometric measurements. Stool samples were collected from each child as from animal excreta if present. Samples were analyzed for the presence of parasites by both the routine method and by an ELISA Kit and immunofluorescence technique specific for detection of Giardia and cryptosporidium. Culture for detection of different microorganisms was also done. Laboratory investigations for the stools showed that the main parasite causing diarrhea was Giardia, next comes nana, then cryptosporidium. The main infection was in the chronic group. It is worthy to say that by the routine method for diagnosis of parasites, only 4 cases of Giardia out of 13 could be identified and no identification of crytopsporidium was performed. Bacteriological analyses showed no pathogenic organisms causing persistent diarrhea and zoonosis was found to play no role in patient diarrhea in those children