Microbiological profile and co-infection patterns among children with diarrhea at Hanoi Medical University Hospital
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Abstract
A cross-sectional study was conducted on 81 liquid stool samples collected from pediatric patients with diarrhea at Hanoi Medical University Hospital from January to July 2025. The positivity rate for at least one pathogen was 88.9%, with co-infections identified in 48.6% of cases. Rotavirus (32.1%) and Norovirus GI/GII (21.0%) were the most frequently detected viral pathogens. The most commonly detected bacterial agents were enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC; 25.9%) and enteroaggregative Escherichia coli (EAEC; 19.8%), predominantly identified in co-infections. Specifically, 14/15 cases were positive for the eaeA gene, and 18/20 cases were positive for the aggR gene. In contrast, invasive pathogens such as Salmonella spp. were more commonly detected as single infections (66.7%). Co-infections involving three or more pathogens were common, with virus–bacteria representing the majority (23/35), particularly combinations of Rotavirus with EPEC and EAEC. Multiplex real-time PCR with Ct values considered as supplementary information may support pathogen detection and aid clinical interpretation in the context of frequent co-infections; however, Ct values should be interpreted with caution, should only to be used as auxiliary reference during analysis..
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Keywords
Diarrhea, co-infection, multiplex PCR, gastrointestinal pathogens, Ct value
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