Diarrheal Diseases of Children

Abstract

Studies designed to provide data on the role of different types of enteropathogenic viruses and bacteria in diarrheal diseases of infants and young children have been carried out by various investigators.^1-4The role of the<i>Shigella</i>and<i>Salmonella</i>groups of organisms, and to a lesser extent that of the pathogenic<i>Escherichia coli</i>group, have been clearly established. However, infections with these groups of pathogenic bacteria account for only a proportion of the total cases of diarrhea (30% to 50% according to different studies), leaving a very large number without a known etiological agent. Although there is well-documented evidence suggesting that certain types of ECHO viruses are capable of producing diarrhea, especially in young children,⁵the role of the vast majority of enteroviruses, as well as the adenoviruses, in diarrheal diseases of infants is still undefined. Comparative studies on virus isolation rates in large numbers of endemic cases of