Incidence of enteric pathogens causing community gastroenteritis among kindergarten children in Gaza

Abstract

Gastroenteritis is one of the leading causes of illness and death in children under five-years old, especially in developing countries. It is also one of the leading causes of deaths among this population in Gaza strip. This study conducted to determine the incidence of different enteric pathogens causing community gastroenteritis among kindergarten children in Gaza. One hundred and fifty stool samples were collected and investigated for parasitic, viral, and bacterial pathogens at Al Azhar microbiology laboratories using standard microbiological and serological procedures. Out of the 150 study population, the overall percentage of positive stool samples with a known enteric pathogen was 60.6%. The incidence of different enteric pathogens causing community gastroenteritis in diarrhea cases was significantly higher than in controls (88.5% versus 11.1%). The most prevalent enteric pathogens isolated were Entamoeba histolytica and Giardia lamblia (28%, 26.7% respectively). Rotavirus was found in 3.1% of cases but not detected in controls; adenovirus types 40 and 41 were not detected. The bacterial enteric pathogens Shigella and Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7 (EHEC) had similar rates as rotavirus (3.1%); no Salmonella was found. 7.4% of children had more than one pathogen detected. This study demonstrated a high percentage of parasitic enteropathogens and a relatively low percentage of bacterial and viral enteropathogens among kindergarten children. Children aged three had the highest incidence of isolated enteropathogens.