Table 1

Epidemiological and clinical characteristics of the children with acute diarrhoea (n = 243)
Epidemiological and clinical characteristics

Age
 mean (range) [years]
 0.8 (0 to 11)
Female/male
 [%]
 50.6/49.4



Nutritional status

Weight-for-age z-score < -2
 [%]
 21.8
Weight-for height z-score < -2
 [%]
 19.4



Number of household members

Adults and children
 mean (range)
 5–7 (2–4 to > 22)
Children under 12 years
 mean (range)
 1–4 (1–4 to > 16)



Most frequently used water source


Public tap
 [%]
 42.7
Pond, river or stream
 [%]
 34.0
Protected dug well or protected spring
 [%]
 10.4



Most frequently used toilet facility

Pipe ventilated covered latrine
 [%]
 46.5
Bush or field
 [%]
 32.4
Uncovered latrine
 [%]
 12.4



Symptoms reported by guardian

Duration of diarrhoea
 mean (range) [hours]
 72 (6 to 168)
Stool frequency in the last 24 h
 mean (range)
 5.5 (3 to 15)
Fever
 [%]
 83.1
Abdominal pain
 [%]
 70.4
Vomiting
 [%]
 66.7
Weakness
 [%]
 56.0
Cough
 [%]
 45.7
Restlessness
 [%]
 25.1
Increased Thirst
 [%]
 22.6
Other symptoms
 [%]
 3.7



Drug intake in the last 48 h

Paracetamol
 [%]
 28.4
Chloroquine
 [%]
 7.8
Other drugs
 [%]
 2.9



Symptoms and signs at examination

Fever
 [%]
 54.3
Weakness
 [%]
 28.0
Sunken eyes
 [%]
 16.0
Restlessness
 [%]
 7.4
Crepitation (auscultation of lung)
 [%]
 6.6
Other symptoms and signs
 [%]
 10.8



Concomitant diseases


Malaria
 [%]
 14.8
Lower respiratory tract infection
 [%]
 7.0
Skin infection
 [%]
 5.8
Other concomitant diseases
 [%]
 5.3



Aspect of stool

Watery
 [%]
 75.3
Loose
 [%]
 20.2
Semi-formed
 [%]
 2.5
Formed
 [%]
 2.1
Mucus
 [%]
 58.4



Blood tests

Malaria parasitaemia
 [%]
 36.2
White blood cell count
 mean ± SD [× 103/μL]
 12.0 ± 5.0
Haemoglobin concentration
 mean ± SD [g/dL]
 9.2 ± 1.8

Reither et al. BMC Infectious Diseases 2007 7:104   doi:10.1186/1471-2334-7-104