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Abstract
Objective: In this study we aimed to determine bacterial causes of diarrhea in patients presenting to the pediatric clinic.
Methods: The stool specimens of 487 patients with diarrhea from pediatric emergency and other pediatric clinics were investigated in order to determine gastroenteritis causes. Microscopic examinations, and appropriate culture methods were performed to determine Salmonella, Shigella, E. coli O157: H7, Campylobacter, Yersinia enterocolitica, Vibrio cholerae, and Aeromonas species. Stool specimens of patients with diarrhea were stained with methylene blue for microscopic examination, and they were cultured on propagating selenite F medium for Salmonella spp. and Shigellas spp., and 8 h later, were subcultured to Salmonella Shigella agar. Also they were cultured to hektoen and xylose lysine desoxycholate agar, to Sorbitol MacConkey agar for E. coli O157: H7 strain, to MacConkey agar for Yersinia enterocolitica, to Campylobacter selective agar for Campylobacter spp., to vibrio selective agar for Vibrio cholerae and to 5% sheep blood agar for Aeromonas spp.. The isolated microorganisms were identified by conventional methods, biochemical tests, specific antibody/antigens and VITEK® 2 (bioMérieux, Marcy l’Etoile, France) device.
Results: Salmonella spp. was the most frequently isolated bacteria that was isolated in 19 (3.9%) samples, and Campylobacter spp. was isolated in seven (1.4%), and E. coli O157:H7 and Aeromonas spp. were isolated in three (0.6%) samples. We observed that Salmonella isolation was highest in HE agar. It is remarkable that E. coli O157: H7 was observed among the bacterial agents of gastroenteritis in children.
Conclusions: We concluded that E. coli O157: H7 strain should be investigated especially in stool samples with bloody diarrhea in our region, and bacteria such as Campylobacter spp. Aeromonas spp. should be investigated in addition to Salmonella spp. for investigation of gastroenteritis agents in children.