Etiological structure of acute intestinal infections among children of different age groups in Nukus

Objective: to study the etiological structure of acute intestinal infections (AII) in children of different ages living in Nukus. Material and methods: the study was conducted from June to July 2024 at the Intestinal Infections Department of the Republican Children’s Infectious Diseases Hospital of the Republic of Karakalpakstan (RCIDH). A total of 3645 patients with clinical manifestations of diarrhea were admitted, 806 adults and 2839 children, of whom 200 were examined. Stool samples were analyzed for bacterial and viral intestinal infections using the PCR method. Statistical analysis methods (P, m, t-values) were used in the study. Results: the highest number of cases occurred in the age groups up to 1 year and 1 to 4 years, in which astrovirus was most frequently detected. Adenovirus and norovirus infections were predominantly among children aged 1 to 4 years. Shigella spp., enteroinvasive E. coli (EIEC), Salmonella spp., and thermophilic Campylobacter spp. were detected in some patients. Shigellosis was detected more frequently in the age groups up to 1 year, 1 to 4 years, and 5 to 9 years. Cases of salmonellosis were recorded in children aged 1 to 4 years and 10 to 16 years, while campylobacteriosis was more frequently diagnosed in children aged 1 to 4 and 10 to 16 years. Mixed forms included viral coinfections (VCOI-virus + virus), bacterial coinfections (BBOI-bacteria + bacteria), and combined viral-bacterial infections (VBOI-virus + bacteria). Single-etiologic viral and bacterial, as well as mixed AIIs, were more frequently recorded in children under 1 year of age   and 1–4 years of age. Conclusions: the analysis showed that acute intestinal infections (AIIs) are most common in young children (under 1 year of age and 1–4 years of age). Viral AIIs were found to be more prevalent than bacterial AIIs. Among mixed forms, virus-associated infections accounted for the largest proportion, a trend toward higher prevalence has been observed in recent years in children under 4 years of age. This should be taken into account when improving laboratory diagnostics and choosing rational therapeutic strategies for this age group.

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