A comprehensive survey of pediatric diarrhea at a private hospital in Metro Manila.

The epidemiology of diarrhea among Filipino pediatric patients, representing a cross-section of socioeconomic strata, was investigated over a one year period. Rotavirus was detected in 33.9% of the diarrhea stools examined and was the leading cause of diarrhea in the study population. Although proportionately more rotavirus was found during the cold season, most children became infected with rotavirus during the rainy season, when diarrheal disease was at its peak in Metropolitan Manila. Enteric adenovirus types 40 or 41 were associated with only 5.4% of the diarrhea cases. Overall, one or more etiologic agents of diarrhea were detected in 67.2% of the stools examined. Many of these positive stools (21.6%) contained multiple diarrheogenic agents. Bacterial enteric pathogens were isolated from 32.3% of the cases. Nearly 70% of these patients with bacterial gastroenteritis became ill during the rainy season. Etiology specific and general risk factors associated with diarrheal illness in the study population are discussed.