enteropathogenic bacteria isolated from specimens of diarrheal children under 5 years old

acute infectious gastroenteritis is one of the most common infectious diseases of humans in the world. diarrhea is a significant cause of death in infants. it has been estimated that up to 15% of children in developing nations die of diarrhea before 3 years of age. this study has been carried out to investigate entheropathogenic bacteria from 558 specimens of children less than 5 years of age. the results were obtained as follow: 1-anaerobic bacteria: toxigenic (clostridium difficile 2 cases (3.6 percent) (associated with bacterial toxins) and enterotoxigenic clostridium per/linens, was not seen. 2- microaerophilic bacteria: cainpylobacterjejunj 8 cases (14.5 percent). 3- facultative bacteria: salmonella typhimuriuni 4 cases (7.3 percent) and salmonella havana 1 case (1.8 percent). shigella dysenreriac 4 cases (7.3 percent); shigella flexneri 8 cases (14.5 percent); shigella boydii 1 case (1.8 percent) and shigella sonnei 7 cases (12.7 percent). escherichia coli 13 cases (23.6 percent). yersinia enteroco/jtjca and vibrio cho/erac were not seen, aerornonas hydrophila 6 cases (10.9 percent) and plesiomonas shigelloides 1 case (1.8 percent).