A prospective study of acute diarrhoea in Finnish children from birth to 2 1/2 years of age

• Published in: Acta pædiatrica Scandinavica Vol. 80; no. 5; p. 500
• Main Authors: Ruuska, T, Vesikari, T
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Sweden 01.05.1991
• Subjects: Acute Disease; Adenovirus Infections, Human - diagnosis; Adenovirus Infections, Human - epidemiology; Bacterial Infections - diagnosis; Bacterial Infections - epidemiology; Child, Preschool; Diarrhea - diagnosis; Diarrhea - epidemiology; Diarrhea - etiology; Finland - epidemiology; Gastroenteritis - diagnosis; Gastroenteritis - epidemiology; Gastroenteritis - etiology; Humans; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Prospective Studies; Rotavirus Infections - diagnosis; Rotavirus Infections - epidemiology; Finland
• ISSN: 0001-656X
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1651-2227.1991.tb11893.x

To determine the incidence, clinical significance and etiology of acute diarrhoea in early childhood, a cohort of 336 children were followed from birth to the age of 24-32 (mean 26) months. More than half (55%) of the children had no diarrhoea, 26% had one episode and 19% had two or more episodes of diarrhoea during follow-up; altogether 248 episodes of diarrhoea were detected. Rotavirus was by far the most common (26%) identified pathogen; adenoviruses were detected in 4% and bacterial pathogens (EPEC, Salmonellae, Yersiniae) in 4% of the cases. Two thirds of the episodes remained etiologically unresolved. Rotavirus diarrhoea was significantly more severe than diarrhoea due to other causes; 75% of severe episodes of diarrhoea were associated with rotavirus. About two thirds of the infants were breast-fed over 6 months; breast-feeding for less than 6 months was associated with a higher incidence of rotavirus diarrhoea between 7-12 months of age but not thereafter. About three quarters of the children were cared for at home beyond 12 months of age; those at home had a lower rate of rotavirus diarrhoea than those at day-care centers.