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Diagnostic value of bacterial stool cultures and viral antigen tests based on clinical manifestations of acute gastroenteritis in pediatric patients

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Abstract

The study presented here aimed to elucidate the diagnostic value of bacterial stool cultures and viral antigen tests when performed based on the clinical characteristics of acute gastroenteritis in infants and young children. A total of 21 (11.2%) bacterial and 74 (39.6%) viral infections affecting 187 children under the age of 3 years was investigated. Blood (p<0.001) and mucus (p=0.014) in the stool and a C-reactive protein (CRP) level of ≥50 mg/l (p=0.006) were more significantly associated with gastroenteritis of bacterial rather than viral origin. Vomiting (p<0.001) was significantly associated with viral gastroenteritis. Among children with bloody stool, culture grew a Salmonella spp. in 35% and for vomiting children, stool antigen tests detected rotavirus in 60% of cases. In conclusion, etiologic tests to determine the cause of childhood gastroenteritis according to their characteristic clinical features or laboratory test results, or both, are of low diagnostic value.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by grant NCKUH-90-062 from the National Cheng Kung University Hospital, Tainan, Taiwan

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departments of Pediatrics and Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, 138 Sheng Li Road, Tainan, 70428, Taiwan

    Y.-J. Yang & C.-C. Liu

  2. Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan

    L.-J. Liu

  3. Department of Pathology, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, Tainan, Taiwan

    P.-H. Kuo

  4. Department of Emergency and Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan

    S.-M. Wang

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  1. L.-J. Liu
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  2. Y.-J. Yang
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  3. P.-H. Kuo
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  4. S.-M. Wang
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  5. C.-C. Liu
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Correspondence to Y.-J. Yang.

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Liu, LJ., Yang, YJ., Kuo, PH. et al. Diagnostic value of bacterial stool cultures and viral antigen tests based on clinical manifestations of acute gastroenteritis in pediatric patients. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis 24, 559–561 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10096-005-1373-z

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