RESULTS

Description of study sample

One hundred rectal swabs samples were collected from patients admitted to local hospitals and one hundred stool samples were collected from healthy individuals.

 Group A: (Hospitalized patients = Test group)

Specimens received from admitted patients are distributed according to source in table 4.1. The study group composed of 50 female and 50 male patients, with an age range from 1 month up to 80 years.

Table : Source of rectal swab specimens collected from hospitalized patients (N= 100).

Hospital	Source	%
Al- Shifa	Hemato-oncology	18
	ICU	16
	Renal unit	17
Al- Naser	Hemato-oncology	15
	ICU	17
	General pediatric	17

 Group B: (non- hospitalized individuals = Control group)

Fifty one male and 49 female subjects submitted stool specimens or rectal swabs. Their ages ranged from 1 month to 80 years.

Table: Sex and age distribution of the study sample

Variable		Hospitalized %	Non- hospitalized %
Gender	Male	50.0	51.0
	Female	50.0	49.0
Age	<5 years	33.0	28.0
	6-20 years	19.0	16.0
	21-40 years	16.0	19.0
	41-60 years	12.0	17.0
	>60 years	20.0	20.0