THE MICROBIAL ETIOLOGY OF SUMMER PEDIATRIC GASTROENTERITIS AT GA-RANKUWA HOSPITAL IN SOUTH-AFRICA

Stool material from seventy-eight children below the age of three year s was examined for the presence of various enteropathogens. The patien ts had been admitted to the Ga-Rankuwa hospital for rehydration therap y. A causative agent was identified in 76.9% of the cases studied. The most prevalent organisms identified were 38.5% entero-toxigenic Esche richia coli (ETEC), 25.6% Cryptosporidium parvum, 15.4% Campylobacter sp., 14.1% enteric adenoviruses and 12.8% rotavirus. In 38.5% of cases , a mixed infection was observed with up to four different organims be ing identified from a single patient. ETEC elaborating heat-labile tox in (LT) found together with C. parvum was the most common combination seen in mixed infections.