Monitoring the Cases of Diarrhea in Adults: Comparative Study

Abstract

Background: Diarrhea is one of the most prevalent disorders, and it causes mortality due to a lack of bodily fluids, which causes severe dehydration. Viruses, bacteria, fungi and parasites infections are the major causes of diarrhea.

Aim: This study aims to identify the infectious agents responsible for persistent diarrhea among adults A total of [265 for male, 324 for female] aged 25–60 years in hospitals across Al-Najaf.

Methods: Microbial data were collected during September and October of 2023 to determine the prevalence of bacterial, viral, fungal, and parasitic infections associated with diarrheal cases.

Results: The findings indicate that Vibrio cholera represented the predominant bacterial infection in September, while E. coli and E. histolytica appeared more frequently among males. Limited cases of fungal and viral infections were detected, with no reported Salmonella infections. In contrast, October showed a reduction in bacterial infections and an increase in certain parasitic and fungal cases, alongside the emergence of Nile virus infections that were absent in September. These patterns highlight a noticeable seasonal variation in microbial diarrheal infections within the region.

Conclusion: Acquired bacterial pathogens, particularly Vibrio cholera and E. coli were listed as the causes of diarrhea among adults in Al-Najaf governorate during September 2023. During this period a strong statistical association (p < 0.0001) was found between female gender and cholera infection.