INFANTILE DIARRHEA AND MALNUTRITION ASSOCIATED WITH CANDIDA IN A DEVELOPING COMMUNITY

The association of infantile diarrhoea with the occurrence of Candida species and their different morphological cell forms (pseudohyphae and /or blastospores) in faeces was studied in children of 0-15 months in a developing community (Lahore, Pakistan) where malnutrition is preval ent. Stool samples from 119 patients admitted to the Diarrhoea Treatme nt Unit, Department of Pediatrics, King Edward Medical College, and 46 healthy children were investigated for yeasts, bacteria, viruses and parasites. Salmonella and enteropathogenic Escherichia coli were seen in 13 (11%) each of the cases while Candida was the most frequent micr o-organism, grown in cultures from 38 (32%) of the diarrhoea cases. C. tropicalis dominated (19%) over C. albicans (6%) and C. parapsilosis (3%). However, in a great number of cases (23, equals 19%), Candida di d not grow in cultures but blastospores and/or pseudohyphae were seen on microscopical examination. Other Candida species and yeasts were re latively more common in the control group. Candida albicans, C. tropic alis and C. parapsilosis were the only identified agents in 23 of the cases (19%). The characteristic clinical findings in children with Can dida as the only identified pathogen were malnutrition (69%), age less than 8 months (90%), and microscopically identified pseudohyphae in f aecal smears (71%).