Identifying weather variables as important clinical predictors of bacterial diarrhea among international travelers to Nepal and Thailand

Background: Clinicians and travelers often have limited tools to differentiate bacterial from non-bacterial causes of travelers' diarrhea (TD). Development of a clinical prediction rule assessing the etiology of TD may help identify episodes of bacterial diarrhea and limit inappropriate antibiotic use. We aimed to identify predictors of bacterial diarrhea among clinical, demographic, and weather variables, as well as to develop and cross-validate a parsimonious predictive model. Methods: We collected de-identified clinical data from 457 international travelers with acute diarrhea presenting to two healthcare centers in Nepal and Thailand. We used conventional microbiologic and multiplex molecular methods to identify diarrheal etiology from stool samples. We used random forest and logistic regression to determine predictors of bacterial diarrhea. Results: We identified 195 cases of bacterial etiology, 63 viral, 125 mixed pathogens, 6 protozoal/parasite, and 68 cases without a detected pathogen. Random forest regression indicated that the strongest predictors of bacterial over viral or non-detected etiologies were average location-specific environmental temperature and RBC on stool microscopy. In 5-fold cross-validation, the parsimonious model with the highest discriminative performance had an AUC of 0.73 using 3 variables with calibration intercept -0.01 (SD 0.31) and slope 0.95 (SD 0.36). Conclusions: We identified environmental temperature, a location-specific parameter, as an important predictor of bacterial TD, among traditional patient-specific parameters predictive of etiology. Future work includes further validation and the development of a clinical decision-support tool to inform appropriate use of antibiotics in TD.

Clinical, Sociodemographic and Environmental Risk Factors for Acute Bacterial Diarrhea among Adults and Children over Five Years in Bangladesh

In 2016, diarrheal disease was the eighth leading cause of mortality globally accounting for over 1.6 million deaths with the majority of deaths in adults and children over 5 years. This study aims to investigate the clinical, sociodemographic, and environmental risk factors associated with common bacterial acute diarrhea among adults and children over 5. Data were collected from March 2019 to March 2020 in patients over 5 years presenting with acute gastroenteritis at icddr,b. Stool samples were collected from each patient for culture and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing. Bivariate associations between independent variables and stool-testing indicating bacterial etiology were calculated. This analysis included 2,133 diarrheal patients of whom a bacterial enteropathogen was identified in 1,537 (72%). Detection of bacteria was associated with: younger age (OR 0.92; 95% CI: 0.88–0.96), lower mean arterial pressure (OR 0.84; 95% CI: 0.79–0.89), heart rate (OR 1.06; 95% CI: 1.01–1.10), percentage dehydration (OR 1.33; 95% CI: 1.13–1.55), respiration rate (OR 1.23; 95% CI: 1.04–1.46), lower mid-upper arm circumference (OR 0.97; 95% CI: 0.94–0.99), confused/lethargic mental status (OR 1.85; 95% CI: 1.11–3.25), rice watery stool (OR 1.92; 95% CI: 1.54–2.41), and vomiting more than three times in the past 24 hours (OR 1.30; 95% CI: 1.06–1.58). Higher monthly income (OR 0.92; 95% CI: 0.86–0.98), > 8 years of education (OR 0.79; 95% CI: 0.63–1.00), and having more than five people living at home (OR 0.80; 95% CI: 0.66–0.98) were associated with lower odds of bacterial diarrhea. These findings may help guide the development of predictive tools to aid in identifying patients with bacterial diarrhea for timely and appropriate use of antibiotics.

Efficacy and mechanism of traditional Chinese medicine in relieving antibiotic-resistant bacterial diarrhea in children: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Background Bacterial infection is an important cause of diarrhea in children, potentially leading to malnutrition, growth and development disorders, and even death. Antibiotic abuse and resistance are widespread problems worldwide, especially in China. We therefore designed a study to evaluate the clinical efficacy and mechanism of traditional Chinese medicine in alleviating the effects of antibiotic resistance in childhood bacterial diarrhea and enhancing the sensitivity of pathogenic bacteria to antibiotics. Methods This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial has completed ChiCTR registration. The trial will randomly divide 120 children who meet the inclusion criteria into three groups: experimental group 1 (basic treatment + Gegen Qinlian decoction granules + Erbai drink placebo), experimental group 2 (basic treatment + Erbai drink granules + Gegen Qinlian decoction placebo), and control group (basic treatment + Gegen Qinlian decoction placebo + Erbai drink placebo). The main efficacy indicators will be antibiotic use rate and clinical cure rate, and the secondary efficacy indicators will be time to antibiotic intervention, effective rate, and course of treatment determined after 5 days. The following physical and chemical indicators will be measured: routine blood parameters, procalcitonin, C-reactive protein, electrocardiogram, liver and kidney function, electrolytes, routine urinalysis, routine stool analysis, and stool culture (including drug sensitivity). Discussion The results of this study may provide an objective clinical basis for the use of traditional Chinese medicine in managing antibiotic-resistant bacterial diarrhea in children, formulating relevant guidelines, and demonstrating the use of traditional Chinese medicine for reducing the use of antibiotics. Trial registration Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ChiCTR1900027915. Last refreshed on December 4, 2019.

Efficacy and mechanism of traditional Chinese medicine in relieving antibiotic-resistant bacterial diarrhea in children：study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Background: Bacterial infection is an important cause of diarrhea in children, potentially leading to malnutrition, growth and development disorders, and even death. Antibiotic abuse and resistance are widespread problems worldwide, especially in China. We therefore designed a study to evaluate the clinical efficacy and mechanism of traditional Chinese medicine in alleviating the effects of antibiotic resistance in childhood bacterial diarrhea and enhancing the sensitivity of pathogenic bacteria to antibiotics.Methods: This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial has completed ChiCTR registration. The trial will randomly divide 120 children who meet the inclusion criteria into three groups: experimental group 1 (basic treatment + Gegen Qinlian decoction granules + Erbai drink placebo); experimental group 2 (basic treatment + Erbai drink granules + Gegen Qinlian decoction placebo); and control group (basic treatment + Gegen Qinlian decoction placebo + Erbai drink placebo). The main efficacy indicators will be antibiotic use rate and clinical cure rate, and the secondary efficacy indicators will be time to antibiotic intervention, effective rate, and course of treatment determined after 5 days. The following physical and chemical indicators will be measured: routine blood parameters, procalcitonin, C-reactive protein, electrocardiogram, liver and kidney function, electrolytes, routine urinalysis, routine stool analysis, and stool culture (including drug sensitivity). Discussion: The results of this study may provide an objective clinical basis for the use of traditional Chinese medicine in managing antibiotic-resistant bacterial diarrhea in children, formulating relevant guidelines, and demonstrating the use of traditional Chinese medicine for reducing the use of antibiotics.Trial registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, ChiCTR1900027915. Date of last refreshed on 12/4/2019, http://www.chictr.org.cn/index.aspx.

Campylobacter Abundance in Breastfed Infants and Identification of a New Species in the Global Enterics Multicenter Study

ABSTRACT Campylobacter jejuni is a leading cause of bacterial diarrhea worldwide and is associated with high rates of mortality and growth stunting in children inhabiting low- to middle-resource countries. To better understand the impact of breastfeeding on Campylobacter infection in infants in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, we examined fecal microbial compositions, bacterial isolates, and their carbohydrate metabolic pathways in Campylobacter-positive infants <1 year of age from the Global Enterics Multicenter Study. Exclusively breastfed infants with diarrhea exhibited high Campylobacter abundances, and this negatively correlated with bacterial carbohydrate metabolism. Although C. jejuni and Campylobacter coli are prevalent among these infants, the second most abundant Campylobacter species was a new species, which we named “Candidatus Campylobacter infans.” Asymptomatic Campylobacter carriers also possess significantly different proportions of specific gut microbes compared to diarrheal cases. These findings provide insight into Campylobacter infections in infants in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia and help inform strategies aimed at eliminating campylobacteriosis in these areas. IMPORTANCE Campylobacter is the primary cause of bacterial diarrhea in the United States and can lead to the development of the postinfectious autoimmune neuropathy known as Guillain-Barré syndrome. Also, drug-resistant campylobacters are becoming a serious concern both locally and abroad. In low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), infection with Campylobacter is linked to high rates of morbidity, growth stunting, and mortality in children, and breastfeeding is important for infant nutrition, development, and protection against infectious diseases. In this study, we examined the relationship between breastfeeding and Campylobacter infection and demonstrate the increased selection for C. jejuni and C. coli strains unable to metabolize fucose. We also identify a new Campylobacter species coinfecting these infants with a high prevalence in five of the seven countries in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia examined. These findings indicate that more detailed studies are needed in LMICs to understand the Campylobacter infection process in order to devise a strategy for eliminating this pathogenic microbe.

Bacterial diarrhea in hospitalized children

Objective: to study the clinical and laboratory manifestations of acute intestinal infections of bacterial etiology in hospitalized children, depending on the etiology, age, topic of the lesion, and complications.A cohort clinical study of 570 children hospitalized from January to October 2019 in the infectious wards of Children's Clinical Hospital No.9 in Moscow was conducted. Studies included routine laboratory methods, bacteriological analysis of feces, Latex test, ELISA, PCR to detect pathogens, serological reactions to detect specific antibodies in blood serum. Two groups of patients were specially formed to compare the features of the course of bacterial diarrhea without hemorrhagic colitis (n = 111) and with hemorrhagic colitis (n = 125).Among 33.2% of cases of deciphered etiology of bacterial diarrhea, Salmonella was isolated in 14.6%, Campylobacter — in 4.7%, Shigella — in 3%, in other cases — conditionally pathogenic flora. Salmonellosis and Сampylobacteriosis with the same frequency are recorded in children in the age groups of 1—3 and 3—7 years, in half of the patients proceed as enterocolitis (58 and 52%, respectively). Shigellosis is diagnosed in children older than 1 year of life with the same frequency in age groups 1—3, 3—7 and older than 7 years, a third of patients (35%) develop severe forms.In most cases (83.2%), a complicated course of bacterial diarrhea was detected, more often dehydration 1 and 2 degrees (36.5%), acute respiratory viral infections (19.6%), mesadenitis (11.2%), community-acquired pneumonia (4.6%).Enterocolitis is the topic of lesion in half of the children, and every 5th patient develops hemorrhagic colitis (21.9%). In 44% of cases of established etiology of hemorrhagic colitis, Salmonella was confirmed. Hemocolitis also develops more often with shigellosis, campylobacteriosis and clostridiosis. In the group of bacterial diarrhea with hemorrhagic colitis, significant differences were revealed compared with the group without hemocolitis: by the frequency of development in children under 3 years of age; by the duration of treatment in a hospital; by the frequency of mesadenitis; by the content of stab neutrophils in the hemogram, reflecting a more pronounced inflammation in hemorrhagic colitis.Thus, bacterial diarrhea in children remains relevant due to the severity of inflammation, the incidence of complicated course and hemorrhagic colitis, which requires hospitalization.