Background: Gastrointestinal infections are one of the leading causes of hospitalization in the pediatric population, yet its etiological diagnosis remains a persistent challenge in resource-limited settings where conventional microbiological methods lack both sensitivity and pathogen coverage. This study aimed to assess the diagnostic utility of the BioFire® FilmArray® Gastrointestinal Panel (GIP) and age-stratified distribution of enteric pathogens in hospitalized children.

Methods: A retrospective study was conducted among 101 pediatric patients who were admitted to the General University Hospital Mohammed VI of Tangier, Morocco, from June 2023 to January 2026. Participants were enrolled and stratified into three age groups: Group A (<6 months), Group B (6 months- 2 years), and Group C (>2 years). Stool samples were analyzed using the BioFire® FilmArray® GIP, a platform targeting simultaneously 22 enteric pathogens of bacterial, viral, and parasitic origin. Statistical analysis was performed to assess the association between infectious origins and age groups of our sample.

Results: Rate of positive tests was 73.3%, with a statistically significant age-dependent increase across groups. Bacterial pathogens were the leading agents, with enteroaggregative Escherichia coli (EAEC) and enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) being the most frequently detected organisms. Co-detections (two or more agents) were identified in 43.6% of samples; 21.2% in Group A (<6 months) to 56.3% in Group B (6 months- 2 years) and 52.8% in Group C (>2 years).

Conclusion: This study highlights the importance of BioFire® FilmArray® Gastrointestinal Panel (GIP) in hospitalized children with suspected gastroenteritis, offering rapid detection of enteric pathogens. This technic improves diagnostic yield compared with conventional methods and supports timely, evidence-based clinical management of pediatric gastroenteritis.