EPIDEMIOLOGY OF ROTAVIRUS DIARRHEA AMONG CHILDREN AGED LESS THAN 5 YEARS IN RURAL SOUTHERN ETHIOPIA.

The objective of this study was to determine the epidemiological and clinical features of rotavirus infection among children aged less than 5 years in rural southern Ethiopia. We conducted a hospital-based, prospective study among children aged less than 5 years with acute diarrhea and moderate to severe dehydration attending the outpatient department of Gambo Rural Hospital, Ethiopia during September-November 2012. Three hundred fourteen children were included in the study, of whom 137 (43.6%) had rotavirus infection. The average age of children with rotavirus infection was lower than those without it [odds ratio (OR): 0.94]. Finding severe dehydration on skin pinch test (adjusted OR: 3.76) and having diarrhea for !3 days (adjusted OR: 2.50) were associated with rotavirus infection. The mortality rate was 4.4% among rotavirus infection children and 0% among non-rotavirus diarrhea cases (p=0.006). Rotavirus infection should be suspected in children with severe dehydration on a skin pinch test and among those presenting with diarrhea for 3 days in rural southern Ethiopia.

Malaria and severe anemia over eight years at Gambo Rural Hospital, southern Ethiopia.

Evolution of incident malaria and frequency of anemia were analyzed over eight years in a rural hospital in southern Ethiopia. Capillary blood samples were tested for hemoglobin concentration, and in some instances for malaria parasites, at Gambo Rural General Hospital between January 2007 and September 2014, and the results recorded. Main demographic data were also recorded in subjects with Plasmodium sp. infections. Of a total of 54,493 blood samples taken from 45,096 different patients, 21,723 (39.9%) samples from 19,173 (42.5%) patients were tested for malaria parasites. Malaria was diagnosed in 825 (3.79%, 95% CI 3.55%, 4.06%) instances (58.3% P. vivax and 41.7% P. falciparum; one episode in 575 patients and two episodes in 125 patients). A sustained decrease in yearly incidence of malaria was observed between 2011 (6.1%) and 2014 (2.4%) (p < 0.01). Of all the malaria patients, those with hemoglobin levels less than 8 g/dL, were younger compared to those with levels of 8 g/dL or more (median age of 5 years vs. 18 years; p < 0.01) and more commonly infected with P. falciparum (57.1% vs. 34.8%; p < 0.001). In multivariate analysis, severe anemia (hemoglobin <8 g/dL) in the context of anemia was associated with P falciparum infection (adjusted odd ratio [OR] 2.48, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.68, 3.65) and younger age (OR 1.06, 95% CI 1.04, 1.07).

Different profile of intestinal protozoa and helminthic infections among patients with diarrhoea according to age attending a rural hospital in southern Ethiopia.

The aim of this study was to analyze the association of intestinal parasitic diseases with age and gender in patients with diarrhea attending a rural hospital in southern Ethiopia in the period 2007-2012. A total of 32,191 stool examination was performed in patients who presented with diarrhea. The overall prevalence of intestinal parasites in the present study was 26.5%. Predominant parasites detected were Giardia lamblia (15.0%), Entamoeba histolytica/dispar (5.4%), and Ascaris lumbricoides (5.0%). The median of age of diarrheal patients with Hymenolepis species, Schistosoma mansoni and G. lamblia was significantly lower (5 y., 10.5 y., and 18 y., respectively; p<0.001). The median age of diarrheal patients with Taenia species, S. stercoralis, and E. histolytica/dispar was significantly higher (24 y., 24 y., and 20 y., respectively; p<0.01). In conclusion, Giardia lamblia was the most prevalent intestinal parasite and the profile of intestinal parasitic infections is influenced by age.