Cross-sectional study exploring the prevalence and clinical manifestations of acute diarrhea among under-5 children in primary care hospital in Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Abstract

Background: Acute diarrhea (AD), which is defined as frequent passing of liquid stools compared to normal, is a serious and worrying problem and remains a concern for healthcare systems because of its high mortality cause in children under 5 years old. The authors' study aimed to present the prevalence and to describe the clinical manifestation of AD among under-5 children.

Methods: From June 2022 to May 2023, the authors conducted a retrospective, descriptive and cross-sectional study including all patients aged 0-5 years hospitalized for AD.

Results: Out of 512 patients, only 197 (38.5%) children with AD were selected for our study. The average age is 25.5 months, and the sex ratio is 1.11. Some families (75.1%) have clean latrines, and 21.8% use water from the river. Inaccessibility to clean water and intolerance or food poisoning were the causes of acute diarrhea in children. Major signs and symptoms are fever, dehydration and vomiting. Weight loss and malnutrition are the major complications of AD in children. The treatment of AD is provided by oral rehydration solutions and antibiotics.

Conclusion: The study highlights the significant prevalence of acute diarrhea among under-5 children underscores the importance of preventive measures and government intervention, such as the introduction of rotavirus vaccination. However, conclusions regarding prevalence rates should be interpreted with caution due to the lack of detailed population data.