Diarrhoeal Disease in Bottle Fed Children

HE LARGE recovery of pathogens from feeding bottles of fifty children under thirty months was compared against their nutritional status and symptoms of diarrhoeal disease. 56% malnutrition was observed. Symptoms of illnesses was common to well nourished (82%) and malnourished children (89%).

All the bottles of the malnourished children had been contaminated, of which 96% had been contaminated with enteric pathogens. Among the well nourished children, 77% of the bottles had been contaminated with enteric pathogens.

Continued consumption of feeds from dirty feeding bottles and poor hygienic practices suggest that these children could develop recurrent attacks of diarrhoeal diseases which could affect their nutritional status.