ISOLATION OF DIARRHOEAGENIC BACTERIA IN CHILDREN ATTENDING SOME SELECTED HOSPITALS WITHIN KADUNA METROPOLIS, KADUNA STATE, NIGERIA.
Abstract
Bacteriological investigations of diarrhoeal diseases were carried out among 100 children between the ages of 0 – 60 months using stool samples from three different hospitals in Kaduna metropolis. The organisms were isolated and identified using cultural and biochemical tests. Out of the 100 children only 44 (44%) were found to have diarrhoea associated with bacteria. The bacteria isolated were Shigella , 20 (45.5%), Escherichia coli 15(34.1%), Salmonella species 08 (18.1%) and Staphylococcus aureus 01 (2.3%). Most pathogens were isolated in females 26 (26%) as compared to males 18 (18%) but the difference was not statistically significant (p>0.05). However, statistical association was observed between age and the presence of the bacterial isolates with age group 25- 36 months having the highest occurrence of the bacterial isolates 15 (15%). This is followed by age group of 37 – 48 months 13 (13%), while the least bacterial isolates occurred in age group 0 – 12 months 3 (3%).