[Preliminary study on the prevalence of Campylobacter in childhood diarrhoea in north Lebanon].

Campylobacter species are a major cause of human diarrhoeal disease worldwide. In Lebanon, the true prevalence of Campylobacter infections and the species distribution in childhood diarrhoea are not known. This study in 2010 investigated the prevalence of Campylobacter species and its possible etiologic role in childhood diarrhoea in north Lebanon. A total of 90 stool samples from children (aged 1 month to 10 years) presenting with diarrhoea were collected from 5 hospitals. A polymerase chain reaction technique (PCR) was used for each sample forthe amplification of all Campylobacter species followed by 5 PCR reactions for the amplification of C. jejuni, C. hyointestinalis, C. coli, C. fetus and C. upsaliensis. Of the 90 samples, 10 were positive for Campylobacterspecies (11.1%):1 for C.coli, 1 for C. jejuni, 2 for both C. jejuni and C. coli, and 6 could not be identified to the species level with the available primers. Campylobacter species is frequently associated with childhood diarrhoea in north Lebanon but Campylobacter infection may be significantly underdiagnosed because the search for Campylobacter is not part of the routine stool culture.