The etiology and clinical manifestations of acute intestinal infections in children, according to the Moscow hospital for 2016—2018

Abstract

The aim of the study was to study the etiology and clinical manifestations of acute intestinal infections (AII) in children aged 1 month to 18 years old who were hospitalized in the infectious diseases ward of a Moscow city hospital in 2016—2018. A retrospective analysis of 9076 case histories was performed. Etiological interpretation was carried out using bacteriological examination of feces, latex agglutination reaction, immunochromatographic analysis, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), serological reactions (indirect hemagglutination test). The majority of children hospitalized with AII (62.2%) were 1—6 years of age. The etiology of AII was deciphered in 32% of cases. Acute intestinal infections of viral etiology prevail (64%), among them — rotavirus (73%), less often — norovirus (21%). AII of bacterial etiology accounted for only 14%, among them salmonellosis remains significant (5.6%), and in young children — staphylococcal infection (1.7%). There were also mixed infections (22%), mainly of viral and bacterial etiology. Noteworthy is the increase in the frequency of occurrence of bacterial AII in the winter season. The leading topical diagnosis in the vast majority of patients (85.1%) was gastroenteritis with the development of exsiccosis (77.6%).