The clinical epidemiology of acute diarrhoeal disease in Egyptian children.

Abstract

We have used a method of surveillance for diarrhea that examines day-point prevalence in sentinel communities in children under 3 years of age in Egypt. The data have been most helpful in designing aspects of the National Control of Diarrheal Diseases Project. We found diarrhea to be most prevalent and most serious in children under 24 months of age in rural areas and in summer and autumn. Children spend on the average 11% of their year with diarrhea nearly 2/3 of which is watery. Mothers are increasingly using oral rehydration therapy; and they are more likely to seek medical help when signs of dehydration occur. The majority of chilren were given less food during diarrhea and about 1/3 are taken off breast milk for a week or more if diarrhea persists. 4 rural and 1 sub-urban community were surveyed for this study from July 1983 to October 1984. Methods included a census to identify households and members a canvass to identify children who had diarrhea within the past 24 hours and a follow-up survey of all children identified with diarrhea in the canvass stage by interviewing the mother. Monthly day-point prevalences over time were also done in 5 communities. Canvassers were mostly local people. (authors modified)