Molecular Investigation of Campylobacter spp. infection in Children with Community Acquired Diarrhea

Background and Aim : Acute gastroenteritis is a characteristic disorder that accounts for ۸-۱۲% of pediatric outpatient visits. Campylobacter infections account for about ۸.۴% of global diarrhea cases. Therefore, considering the importance of Campylobacter in diarrheal infections, this study was aimed to determine the rate of infection with different species of this bacterium among children with community-acquired diarrhea. Moreover, minimum limit of diagnosis for this bacterium (LOD) in fecal samples was determined by PCR.Methods : Stool samples of children under ۵ years of age with diarrhea were collected. The samples were related children referred to hospitals in Hamadan, Ardabil, Bandar Abbas and two hospitals in Tehran. A questionnaire was filled by physicians and a consent form signed by the participants. DNA was extracted from the samples using a DNA extraction kit from stool. The presence of Campylobacter in the studied samples was detected by polymerase chain reaction using specific primers. A control stool sample was spiked with ۱۰-fold dilution of C. jejuni suspension for LOD measurement.Results : Out of ۱۰۲ stool samples from children with diarrhea, one sample was positive for Campylobacter jejuni LOD was determined for this test as ۱۰۰ CFU per gram.Conclusion : According to our results, infection with Campylobacter spp. was not high among the studied symptomatic children with diarrhea during the Covid-۱۹ pandemic in Iran.

کلیدواژه ها:

Campylobacter ، Children ، Diarrhea ، Gastroenteritis ، PCR