Isolation and identification of bacterial causes of diarrhea in children less than 2 years old in Al-Muthanna Governorate

Diarrhea is the second leading cause of children’s death under five years of age worldwide. The most common microbiological causes of gastroenteritis vary by age group, geographic region, and type of diarrhea. This study designed to identify the bacterial causes of children’s diarrhea under two years of age in Samawah /Al-Muthanna Governorate. Out of 84 patients, 21 sterile stool swabs were collected from children suffering from diarrhea in the Maternity and Children Hospital in Samawah for the period from 1 to 31 December 2021. Samples were cultured on selective diagnostic culture media. Antibiotic sensitivity test was performed for bacterial isolates using discs diffusion test. Out of 84 total hospitalized child, there were 61 (72.61%) children with diarrhoea. Whereas, the percentages of other diseases were 2% (2.38), 16 (19.04), 3 (3.57%), 1% (1.19%), 1 (1.19%) and 1% (1.19%) for jaundice, bronchitis, dyspnea and asthma, suckling interruption, hypoglycemia and pneumonia, respectively. According to age, the highest percentage of diarrhea 24(39.344%) was recorded in children less than one month. Moreover, the number and percentages of diarrhea at ages 2, 3, 4, 6, 5 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 24 months were as follows: 5 (8.196%), 3 (4.918%), 4 (6.557%), 4 (6,557%), 2 (3.278%), 4 (6.557 %), 0.%, 3 (4.918%), 3 (4.918 %), 0%, 6 (9.83%) and 3 (4.918%) respectively. The total percentage of bacterial isolation was 100%, that comprised 38.10%, 14.29%, 4.76 %, 9.52 %, 23.81%, and 9.52% for E. coli, Salmonella typhi, Salmonella typhimurium, Klebsiella, Shigella sp., and Proteous sp. respectively. In conclusion, this study approved that multiple-drug resistant, gram-negative enterobacteria were the causes of diarrhea in children under-age of two years.