Clinical profile of diarrhoea at Ramathibodi hospital during 1977

Abstract

Retrospective clinical profile of diarrhoeal disease in children admitted to the Pediatric Department, Ramathibodi Hospital during January to December 1977 was studied. A total of 144 medical records (55.6%) could be analysed. Rectal swab culture yielded enteropathogenic organisms in 47.2% of the cases consisting of 26.3% Salmonella, 16.0% sero typing positive E. coli and 3.5% Shigella. Clinical presentation of each group was presented which with the exception of neurological symptoms was in concordant with previous observations of several authors. Convulsion was more frequent in the Salmonella group, although dehydration and frequency of stools were less severe. These cases seem to be highly infectious and tend to be more chronic with recurrences. It could be seen in all age group. Shigella was seen in infants 6 months old and older. Isolation of Rota-virus was not done, in non specific diarrhoeal groups (52.8%) many of which might have been due to Rota-virus. White blood count and differential count were of little value in differential diagnosis of the aetiology. Stool examination was helpful especially in Shigellosis and E. coli but there were no characteristic findings in Salmonella and non-specific groups. The overall mortality rate was 4.1%.