Epidemiological study of acute diarrhea in breast fed infants

Abstract EN

Background : Diarrheal diseases are one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in children world wide, the enteropathogens that are infectious in a small inoculum are (Shigella, Enteric Viruses, Giardia lamblia.

Entamoeba histolytica and Escherichia coli.

Objectives : To identify the causes and risk factors of acute diarrhea in breastfed infant.

Materials and methods : A random sample of 70 breastfed infants was collected from the casuality and pediatric wards of Maternity and Childhood hospital in Al-Najaf city from the period of 1st of August, 2009 to the 1st of Jan, 2010.

Physical examination and growth parameter was done to each infant and investigations including (general stool examination., general urine examination, stool culture and antibiotic sensitivity, stool for Rota virus (Ag).

Blood culture, chest X ray and urine culture and antibiotic sensitivity).

Results : Twenty eight (40 %) of infant were found to have +ve stool examination for microorganism, and the commonest microorganism was E.

coli in 18 (64.2 %).

While 42 (60 %) infants have-ve stool examination 25 (35.8 %) of them with signs of extra intestinal infection as (pneumonia, sepsis, urinary tract infectionand otitis media) and 17 (24.2 %) have no signs of extra intestinal infection, 40 (57 %) of infant were partially breast fed 14 (20 %) complementary feeding introduced to them and only 6 (8.5 %) have full breast feeding.

The growth parameters of the infants were normal and all of them were improved and discharged from the hospital in good health.

Conclusions : Exclusive breast feeding is the best way to protect the baby against diarrhea.