Diarrhoea with dehydration less than 5 years of age

Diarrhoea with dehydration in children less than 5 years of age is due to infections of the gastrointestinal tract caused by viruses (especially Rotavirus), bacteria (E. coli, Salmonellae, Shigellae, Campylobacter, Yersinia, and others), and parasites (Giardia, Entamoeba, cryptosporidia, and cyclospora). These diseases are transmitted through eating contaminated food or water, or through faecal-oral spread.
Diarrhoeal diseases represent the second leading cause of death among children less than 5 years of age in many African countries, with more than 3 million deaths per year.
Different epidemiological patterns (for example, seasonality) are observed for different pathogens.
The WHO and UNICEF advocate that each district team use the Integrated Management of Childhood Illnesses (IMCI) strategy to reduce morbidity and mortality of childhood diarrhoea.