HEALTHCARE-ASSOCIATED AND COMMUNITY-ACQUIRED DIARRHEA IN ARKHANGELSK REGION

Abstract

Introduction. Diarrheal diseases remain one of the leading causes of community-acquired infections. In Russia, their role in healthcare-associated infections is poorly understood. The study aimed to analyze incidence and prevalence of diarrheal diseases in children living in the Arkhangelsk region and those in Russia. Methods. The incidence of community-acquired diarrhea (CAD) and healthcare-associated diarrhea (HAD) in Russia and in the Arkhangelsk region presented by Rospotrebnadzor between 2000 and 2011 has been studied. Repeated point-prevalence surveys were performed to assess prevalence of HAI in the Arkhangelsk Regional Pediatric Hospital from 2006 to 2011. Results. The incidence of CAD in the Arkhangelsk region was revealed to be 1.2 times higher than that in Russia. More than the half of the patients were children. On the average, up to 50% of diarrhea cases were of unknown etiology. Prevalence of HAD in the Regional Pediatric Hospital varied between 0.5% and 2.8%. Diarrhea was one of the most common healthcare-associated infections. Conclusions. Diarrheal diseases remain to be a serious public health problem in Russia due to their high incidence among children and laboratory shortcoming.