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© 2025 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.

Abstract

Background and objectives: Acute gastroenteritis (AGE) remains a significant cause of morbidity in children, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Viral pathogens, including rotavirus (RoV), norovirus (NoV), and adenovirus (HAdV), are among the leading causes of AGE. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of viral, bacterial, and parasitic enteric pathogens associated with AGE among hospitalized children in Northern Jordan. Materials and Methods: A total of 195 stool samples were collected from hospitalized children with AGE during the winter seasons of 2022–2024. Multiplex real-time qPCR assays were performed to detect common pathogens. The prevalence of each pathogen was determined, and co-infections were analyzed. Clinical symptoms, demographic characteristics, and associations between specific pathogens and disease severity were evaluated. Results: Viral pathogens were the predominant cause of AGE, with NoV detected in 53 cases (27.2%; of which 19.0% were NoV GI and 8.2% NoV GII), followed by RoV (24.1%), HAdV (20.0%), HAstV (13.3%), and SaV (12.3%). Co-infections were observed in several cases, particularly among viral infections evoked by RoV, HAdV, and NoV GI. Bacterial and parasitic infections were less prevalent, with Salmonella and Campylobacter spp. detected in 23.1% and 13.8%, respectively. Additionally, Cryptosporidium was identified in two cases (0.5%). Conclusions: Viral pathogens, particularly NoV, RoV, and HAdV, are the leading causes of AGE among hospitalized children in Jordan. Co-infections among viral pathogens were common, whereas bacterial and parasitic infections played a limited role in the disease burden. These findings emphasize the importance of continued surveillance and vaccination efforts, particularly for RoV, to reduce AGE-related hospitalizations in children.

Details

Title
Prevalence of Acute Gastroenteritis Enteropathogens Among Hospitalized Children in Jordan: A Single-Center Study
Author
Khasawneh, Ashraf I 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Himsawi Nisreen 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Sammour Ashraf 2 ; Bataineh, Faten A 3 ; Odeh, Mohammad H 4 ; Alhieh Mayar S. 4 ; Hijjawi, Nawal S 4 ; Wahsheh Mohammad 5 ; Al-Momani, Hafez 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Alotaibi, Moureq R 6 ; Al Shboul Sofian 7   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Saleh Tareq 8   VIAFID ORCID Logo 

 Department of Microbiology, Pathology, and Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, The Hashemite University, Zarqa 13133, Jordan 
 Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, The Hashemite University, Zarqa 13133, Jordan 
 Laboratory Department, Princess Rhama Hospital, Ministry of Health, Irbid 21110, Jordan 
 Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Applied Health Sciences, Hashemite University, Zarqa 13133, Jordan 
 Department of Pediatrics, Princess Rhama Hospital, Ministry of Health, Irbid 21110, Jordan 
 Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh 12372, Saudi Arabia 
 Department of Pharmacology and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, The Hashemite University, Zarqa 13133, Jordan 
 Department of Pharmacology and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, The Hashemite University, Zarqa 13133, Jordan, Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, College of Medicine & Health Sciences, Arabian Gulf University, Manama P.O. Box 26671, Bahrain 
First page
657
Publication year
2025
Publication date
2025
Publisher
MDPI AG
e-ISSN
19994915
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
3212146090
Copyright
© 2025 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.