E. Gedlu et A. Aseffa, CAMPYLOBACTER ENTERITIS AMONG CHILDREN IN NORTH-WEST ETHIOPIA - A 1-YEAR PROSPECTIVE-STUDY, Annals of tropical paediatrics, 16(3), 1996, pp. 207-212
The incidence of campylobacter enteritis among children visiting the o
utpatient department of a teaching hospital in north-west Ethiopia was
prospectively studied over a period of 12 months from June 1994 to Ma
y 1995. Campylobacter spp. were isolated from the stools of 60 childre
n out of 434 investigated by culture (13.8%). The highest isolation ra
te was found in children aged from 6 to 24 months. The period of peak
isolation was September to November. Among children aged 1-5 years, ca
mpylobacter was more frequently isolated from those presenting with pe
rsistent diarrhoea than from among those with acute illness (OR 2.53;
95% CI: 1.02-6.18). Culture positivity was higher among malnourished c
hildren. Our findings demonstrate the important role played by this pa
thogen in childhood diarrhoeal illness in the area.