Abstract
In a study to identify the clostridial species associated with sporadic diarrhoea in children aged 5 years and below, clostridia species were isolated from 57 (3%) of 1761 diarrhoeic faecal samples studied. Fifty-one of the clostridial isolates were identified as Clostridium perfringens while the other six isolates were identified as C. bifermentans. Forthy-seven were C. perfringens type A, 4 were C. perfringens type C. Forty-one of C. perfringens type A and 2 of the C. perfringens type C were enterotoxigenic. From this investigation, it was observed that C. perfringens types A and C were involved in cases of sporadic diarrhoea affecting children aged 5 years and below in Ibadan, Nigeria. Key words: Sporadic diarrhoea, Clostridium perfringens, children.
Highlights
Diarrhoeal disease continues to be a health problem among young children all over the world especially in the developing countries
The results from investigations carried out so far had not given an accurate assessment of the relative importance of C. perfringens in sporadic diarrhoea involving children
Out of 57 isolates recognised as clostridial species, 51 (89.47%) were identified as C. perfringens while the remaining six (10.53%) were identified as C. bifermentans
Summary
Diarrhoeal disease continues to be a health problem among young children all over the world especially in the developing countries. Several bacteria have been recognised to play a causal role in diarrhoeal diseases, including Salmonella spp., Shigella spp., serotypes of enterotoxigenic, verotoxigenic and enteropathogenic strains of Escherichia coli, Vibrio spp. and Campylobacter spp. In the past two decades enterotoxigenic strains of Clostridium perfringens have been identified as an important aetiologic agent of diarrhoea (Boriello et al, 1985; Samuel et al, 1991; Brett et al, 1992; Mpamugo et al, 1995). Most of the investigations carried out have been on outbreak and have involved adults (Van Loon et al, 1990). The results from investigations carried out so far had not given an accurate assessment of the relative importance of C. perfringens in sporadic diarrhoea involving children
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