Prevalence and Etiology of Diarrhea in Children Under 5 Years Old at the Ngaoundere Regional Hospital, Cameroon: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background and Aims: Diarrhea is a worldwide public health problem in children under 5 years old. This study aimed to determine the main etiology of diarrhea affecting children under 5 years old at the Ngaoundere Regional Hospital. Methods: The present study was a cross-sectional survey of patients under 5 years of age with diarrhea which was conducted at the Ngaoundere Regional Hospital from May to August 2023. With the use of a questionnaire, a total of 179 patients aged under 5 years with diarrhea were sampled. A questionnaire was submitted to the patients to collect socio-demographic information then stool samples were collected. The stool samples were then subjected to the macroscopic and microscopic analyses phases for the detection of parasites, and to coproculture or stool culture for the subsequent isolation of the pathogenic bacterial germs. The identification of bacterial germs was carried out using the API20E gallery. Results: Male subjects were most affected by diarrheal diseases with 57% compared to 43% for females and the age group (12-24 months) was the most vulnerable (31.84%). Among the patients, 37.43% had a yeast infection, 24.58% a parasitic infection, and 23.58% a bacterial infection. Entamoeba histolytica (15.64%), Entamoeba coli (6.70%), Trichomonas intestinalis (2.23%), and Fasciola hepatica (0.56%) were identified as parasites. Escherichia coli (10.61%), Salmonella spp. (5.02%), Klebsiella spp. (3.35%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (1.12%), Shigella spp. (1.12%), Enterobacter cloacae (1.12%), Enterobacter aerogenes (0.56%), Enterobacter spp. (0.56%), Hafnia alvei (0.56%) and Pseudomonas spp. (0.56%) were identified as bacteria. 2.79% cases of parasitic/bacterial co-infections were recorded. Conclusions: The prevalence of diarrhea caused by parasites and bacteria in children under 5 years of age at the Ngaoundere Regional Hospital remains high compared to the prevalence of diarrhea in Cameroon. The most incriminated infectious agents were Entamoeba histolytica and Escherichia coli. These etiological data would constitute important tools for strategies for the management and prevention of childhood diarrhea.