Sporadic diarrhoea due to Clostridium perfringens in children aged five years and below

Abstract

In a study to identify the clostridial species associated with sporadic diarrhoea in children aged 5 years and below, clostridia species were isolated from 57 (3%) of 1761 diarrhoeic faecal samples studied. Fifty-one of the clostridial isolates were identified as Clostridium perfringens while the other six isolates were identified as C. bifermentans. Forthy-seven were C. perfringens type A, 4 were C. perfringens type C. Forty-one of C. perfringens type A and 2 of the C. perfringens type C were enterotoxigenic. From this investigation, it was observed that C. perfringens types A and C were involved in cases of sporadic diarrhoea affecting children aged 5 years and below in Ibadan, Nigeria.

Key words: Sporadic diarrhoea, Clostridium perfringens, children.

African Journal of Biotechnology Vol.3(7) 2004: 366-369