Faecal candida and diarrhoea.

Background: Candida species are frequently isolated from stools of children with diarrhoea but are not proven enteropathogens. It is hypothesised that faecal candida causes diarrhoea.

Aims: To determine the prevalence of faecal candida in childhood diarrhoea and the relation between faecal yeasts and diarrhoea.

Methods: 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.

Results: 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.

Conclusion: Candida species do not cause childhood diarrhoea in well nourished children.