Kotb, A., Elkalioby, M., Gad, S., Dessouk, O. (2015). Frequency of Clostridium Difficile Infection in Hospitalized Children in Suez Canal University Hospital. Suez Canal University Medical Journal, 18(1), 39-46. doi: 10.21608/scumj.2015.44164
Ahmed M Kotb; Mohammed I Elkalioby; Suzan S Gad; Omar F Dessouk. "Frequency of Clostridium Difficile Infection in Hospitalized Children in Suez Canal University Hospital". Suez Canal University Medical Journal, 18, 1, 2015, 39-46. doi: 10.21608/scumj.2015.44164
Kotb, A., Elkalioby, M., Gad, S., Dessouk, O. (2015). 'Frequency of Clostridium Difficile Infection in Hospitalized Children in Suez Canal University Hospital', Suez Canal University Medical Journal, 18(1), pp. 39-46. doi: 10.21608/scumj.2015.44164
Kotb, A., Elkalioby, M., Gad, S., Dessouk, O. Frequency of Clostridium Difficile Infection in Hospitalized Children in Suez Canal University Hospital. Suez Canal University Medical Journal, 2015; 18(1): 39-46. doi: 10.21608/scumj.2015.44164
Frequency of Clostridium Difficile Infection in Hospitalized Children in Suez Canal University Hospital
1Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Suez Canal University, Egypt
2Departments of Clinical Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Suez Canal University, Egypt
Abstract
Background: Clostridium difficile (C. difficile), a Gram-positive spore-forming bacillus, is the most common etiologic agent of antibiotic-associated diarrhea. The clinical presentation of Clostridium difficile-associated disease (CDAD) occurs secondary to the production of two exotoxins; toxin A, an enterotoxin and toxin B, a cytotoxin. Aim: to assess the frequency of C. difficile infection in hospitalized children in Suez Canal University Hospital for the purpose of prevention and control. Patients and Methods: This study was conducted as a cross-sectional study to detect C. difficile infection in 90 hospitalized children in Pediatric inpatient ward in Suez Canal University Hospital selected through a simple random sample. History taking as well as complete stool analysis and enzyme immunoassay to determine toxins A and B of C. difficile in stool samples were done. Results: Determination of toxins A and B of C. difficile in stool samples was found positive in 8.9% of the studied sample. Prevalence of C. difficile was slightly higher in infants than in children and in males more than in females. All 8 patients (100%) with Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) presented by diarrhea, 25% of them presented by abdominal pain and none of them presented by bloody stool. C. difficile infection was highest among patients having Cephalosporin (18.2%) followed by combination therapy between penicillin and cephalosporin (8.6%) while the lowest prevalence was among those on Penicillins only (4.8%). Conclusion: C. difficile infection is prevalent in hospitalized children receiving antibiotics therapy causing a wide variety of GIT symptoms mainly diarrhea.