VIRAL, BACTERIAL AND PARASITIC PATHOGENS ASSOCIATED WITH SEVERE DIARRHEA IN THE CITY OF SAO-PAULO, BRAZIL

Viral, bacterial and parasitic pathogens associated with diarrhoea wer e studied in infants and young children admitted to the paediatric cli nic of the University Hospital of Sao Paulo during the period of 13 mo nths. A recognised pathogenic organism was detected in 78% of the diar rhoeic patients, 6% of whom had a mixed infection with two agents. Ent eropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) was the most common enteropathogen detect ed (22%), followed by rotavirus (19%) and adenovirus (10%). Altogether 6% had diarrhoea associated with Salmonella or Shigella and 3% showed diarrhoeal illness associated with astrovirus. Infants less than 6 mo nths of age were most commonly infected with enterobacteria (35%), mai nly enteropathic E. coli (30%), whereas children 6 months to 2 years p resented more often with viruses (38%), mainly rotaviruses (25%). Ente ropathogens were found during all seasons of the year and rotaviruses showed a seasonal variation.