A new study published in the Journal of Clinical Virology aimed to determine if the clinical characteristics of children with gastroenteritis and influenza identified in their stool differ from those whose stool was influenza-negative.

Here, patients under 18-years, and with gastroenteritis whose stool tested negative for enteropathogen were tested for influenza in stool. The clinical features between influenza-positive and influenza-negative gastroenteritis cases were compared. Stools from controls without infection were also tested for influenza.

Among the 440 gastroenteritis cases, those who were influenza tested positive were older; more likely to present in fall or winter; be febrile; have respiratory symptoms; have dehydration; and have higher Modified Vesikari Scale scores, than those who tested negative. Thirteen gastroenteritis cases including one child without respiratory symptoms versus one control were influenza stool positive.

The results indicated that fever, respiratory symptoms, more severe illness and older age were more common in children with gastroenteritis—with influenza detected in stool, compared to those who tested negative.

Source: Journal of Clinical Virology. 2020 Aug 1;131:104565. doi: 10.1016/j.jcv.2020.104565.