Patterns and prevalence of gastroenteritis among children aged 0 – 15 years

The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of bacterial gastroenteritis among children aged 0-15 years, the bacterial types involved, the age-range mostly affected and the bacterial load in the children sampled. This study was carried out in selected primary schools in Ekpoma, Edo State, Nigeria. The study population comprises of one hundred and fifty (150) Primary School Children within the age range of 0-15 years. Stool samples were examined using standard bacteriological method. Results obtained showed the rate of bacterial isolates from the stool of the children from the various age groups for the population under study is 44%. Out of the samples collected from each of the age range, 9(41%) were positive for age range 0-3, 19(46%) were for 4-7 years, 17(49%) for 8-11 years, and 21(40%) for 12-15. Age 12-15 years have the highest bacterial isolates followed by age 4-7 years, 8-11 years and 0-3 years. Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumonia and Streptococcus faecalis were isolated from the study population. The bacterial load of bacteria gastroenteritis is high so also the individual loads of the bacterial types apart from Streptococcus faecalis. Therefore, the isolation was enough to cause problem to the children.