Non-bacterial etiologies of diarrheal diseases in Afghanistan

Background Microbial diarrheal diseases are one of the leading causes of child morbidity and mortality in developing countries. This study aimed to identify the main causes of non-bacterial diarrhea in Afghanistan. Methods A total of 699 stools were collected from children aged under 5 years who pre...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 2014-08, Vol.108 (8), p.461-465
Main Authors: Elyan, Diaa, Wasfy, Momtaz, El Mohammady, Hanan, Hassan, Khaled, Monestersky, Jesse, Noormal, Bashir, Oyofo, Buhari
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adenoviridae Infections - epidemiology
Afghanistan - epidemiology
Astroviridae Infections - epidemiology
Biological and medical sciences
Caliciviridae Infections - epidemiology
Child, Preschool
Cryptosporidiosis - epidemiology
Diarrhea - parasitology
Diarrhea - virology
Feces - parasitology
Feces - virology
Female
Gastroenterology. Liver. Pancreas. Abdomen
General aspects
Giardiasis - epidemiology
Humans
Infant
Infant, Newborn
Male
Medical sciences
Other diseases. Semiology
Rotavirus Infections - epidemiology
Stomach. Duodenum. Small intestine. Colon. Rectum. Anus
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Summary:Background Microbial diarrheal diseases are one of the leading causes of child morbidity and mortality in developing countries. This study aimed to identify the main causes of non-bacterial diarrhea in Afghanistan. Methods A total of 699 stools were collected from children aged under 5 years who presented with diarrhea at Indira Gandhi and Kandahar hospitals. Frozen aliquots were preserved for screening against rotavirus, astrovirus, adenovirus, norovirus, Cryptosporidium and Giardia, when bacterial cultures tested negative. Tests were performed at the hospitals after laboratory staff were trained and provided with enzyme-immunoassays and equipment. Results were confirmed at the U.S. Naval Medical Research Unit No. 3, Cairo, Egypt. Results Of the samples tested, 71.9% (503/699) were infected with one or more pathogens. However, the majority (85.8%; 432/503) showed single infections: rotavirus (72.2%; 329/432), Cryptosporidium (14.1%; 61/432), Giardia (5.1%; 22/432), astrovirus (2.3%; 10/432), adenovirus (1.6%; 7/432) and norovirus (0.7%; 3/432). The remaining 14% (71/503) showed mixed infections of the tested pathogens. Conclusions Non-bacterial pathogens were identified that could enable health officials to adopt more effective treatment and control measures for diarrhea in Afghanistan.
ISSN:0035-9203
1878-3503
DOI:10.1093/trstmh/tru096