Faecal candida and diarrhoea.

Abstract

Candida species are frequently isolated from stools of children with diarrhoea but are not proven enteropathogens. It is hypothesised that faecal candida causes diarrhoea. To determine the prevalence of faecal candida in childhood diarrhoea and the relation between faecal yeasts and diarrhoea. Comparison of clinical and laboratory data, including quantitative stool culture for yeasts from 107 children hospitalised with diarrhoea and 67 age matched controls without diarrhoea. Yeast species, predominantly candida, were identified in the stools of 43 children (39%) with diarrhoea and 26 (36%) without diarrhoea. The concentration of candida was positively associated with recent antibiotic use (p = 0.03) and with the presence of another enteric pathogen (p < 0.005), but not with patient age, nutritional status, or duration of diarrhoea. Candida species do not cause childhood diarrhoea in well nourished children.