857 Epidemiology of Bloody Diarrhoea Among Children Less Than Ten Years of Age in Baghd

Abstract

Bloody diarrhea in young children is usually a sign of invasive enteric infection that carries a substantial risk of serious morbidity and death Among its important risk factors are poor environmental sanitation, unsafe water, poor personal hygiene & artificial feeding In Iraq the sanitary condition & general hygiene had been deteriorating during the last decade, particularly following the last war. Objectives To identify prevalence & risk factors associated withbloody diarrhea. Methodology Cross - sectional study was conducted. Collecting 1500 children aging < 10 years old, having diarrhea, from two pediatric teaching hospitals in Baghdad. Mothers Interviewing, clinical & stool laboratory examination were carried-out for each patients. Results Prevalence of bloody diarrhea was (28%). No significant association between sex & bloody diarrhea. Significantly, higher rate of bloody diarrhea among children; aging7-9 years (66.6%), living in rural areas (41.9%), their mothers were illiterates (31.5%), household water from river (46.3%) not using refrigerator for food storage (34.1%), and children who were on exclusive bottle feeding (36.5%). While insignificantly higher rate (33.3%) among children of working mothers. Entamoeba Histolytica was the main causative agents (83.58%), with significant higher prevalence (97.5%) among age group 1-3years. Prevalence of Non-typhoid salmonella or Shigella (4.28%, 2.14%) respectively. were found more among age 4-6 years (42.1%), (15.8%) respectively. Conclusion Bloody diarrhea highly prevalent in Baghdad (28%). Entamoeba histolytica is the commonest causative agent Non breast fed baby at high risk. Therefore efforts should be directed toward encouraging exclusive breast feeding and, improvement of the basic infrastructures.