BACKGROUND Diarrhoea, a common disease, is one of the major determinants of childhood morbidity and mortality in Nepal. METHOD This cross-sectional survey used a self-designed and pretested structured questionnaire to gather data on mothers' knowledge about childhood diarrhoea. The study was conducted in the Morang district of Nepal from June to August 2010. Data was analysed using descriptiv...

BACKGROUND Partially hydrolysed guar gum (Benefiber) added to a diet is fermented in the colon, producing short chain fatty acids, which improve intestinal function, including colonic salt and water absorption. AIMS To evaluate the effect of Benefiber supplemented comminuted chicken diet in the treatment of persistent diarrhoea. METHODS One hundred and sixteen children (aged 5-24 months), p...

Growth of bacteria greater than 10-5 organisms/ml was found in 22 children, of whom 17 gave a histroy of chronic diarrhoea. The other 8 children had either no diarrhoea or where having an acute attack lasting for a few days. In those with chronic diarrhoea, Esch. coli, bacteroides, and enterococci tended to occur more frequently, whereas streptococci occurred more frequently in those with acute...

BACKGROUND Co-treatment with Saccharomyces boulardii appears to lower the risk of antibiotic-associated diarrhoea in adults receiving broad-spectrum antibiotics. AIM To determine whether S. boulardii prevents antibiotic-associated diarrhoea in children. METHODS A total of 269 children (aged 6 months to 14 years) with otitis media and/or respiratory tract infections were enrolled in a double...

Diarrhoea remains an important cause of mortality and morbidity among children in Nicaragua. As the majority of diarrhoeal cases are treated at home and appropriate household management can lessen severity of diarrhoea, the objective of this study was to examine household management of childhood diarrhoea. A simple random sample of households was selected from the Health and Demographic Surveil...

The size and composition of the bile-salt pools in a group of diabetics with neuropathy but no diarrhoea and a group with "diabetic diarrhoea" were compared with those in a group of stable, uncomplicated diabetics. The diabetics with neuropathy had significantly more dihydroxy bile salts, a larger bile-salt pool, and a higher faecal excretion of bile than the controls. The diabetics with diarrh...

Diarrhoea is a common complication seen in renal transplant recipients. Post-transplantation diarrhoea may result from infectious agents, drug-specific effects or metabolic conditions. Although infections are the major cause of diarrhoea after transplantation, almost a quarter of the cases are related to medication. Approximately 50% of the drug-induced diarrhoea is caused by mycophenolate mofe...

BACKGROUND The microbiological diagnosis of infectious diarrhoea may take several days using conventional techniques. In order to determine whether flatus can be used to make a rapid diagnosis, the volatile organic compounds associated with diarrhoea were analysed. METHODS Stool samples were collected from 35 patients with infectious diarrhoea and from six healthy controls. Gaseous compounds ...

BACKGROUND Prolonged infectious diarrhoea in the returning traveller is generally caused by protozoal and occasionally by helminth parasites. OBJECTIVE This article provides a framework for the diagnosis, management and prevention of the diseases that cause persistent diarrhoea in the traveller. DISCUSSION A large proportion of disease is caused by Giardia lamblia, Cryptosporidium parvum an...

In 2004, WHO and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) released a joint statement recommending a new lower osmolarity oral rehydration salts (ORS) formulation and zinc supplementation for diarrhoea management. More than 5 years later, diarrhoea remains the second leading cause of death and few children in developing countries are receiving these life-saving interventions. Many countries a...