Case-Control Study of Diarrheal Disease Etiology in a Remote Rural Area in Western Thailand

The objective was to assess the association of enteric pathogens in diarrheal disease in a remote rural area in Thailand Stool specimens were collected from 236 children aged 3 months to 5 years with acute diarrhea (cases) and from 236 asymptomatic controls Standard microbiologic methods, and enzyme immunoassay for viral pathogens Gtardia and Cryptosporidium, were used to identify enteric pathogens with susceptibility testing by disk diffusion Campylobactei Plestomonas Salmonella and enterotoxigenic Escherichia colt were commonly isolated from cases and controls (22% versus 25%, 10% versus 11%, 6% versus 9%, and 10% versus 6% respectively) Only Shigella rotavirus, and adeno virus were identified significantly more frequently in cases than controls (9% versus 0% 18% versus 3% and 16% versus 2% respectively) whereas Giardia lamblia was detected less often in cases than controls Most pre school children were infested with enteric pathogens, laboratory based studies are Important to understand the epidemiology of enteric patho gens in remote areas among marginal populations