[Infectious enteritis]

Internist (Berl). 2011 Sep;52(9):1038, 1040-4, 1046. doi: 10.1007/s00108-011-2862-z.
[Article in German]

Abstract

Infectious diarrhea belongs to the most frequent infections worldwide and can be elicited by a wide array of microbial pathogens. In developed countries transmission occurs much more frequently from contaminated food as compared to direct person-to-person contact, except for enteric viruses which can also be transmitted by aerosol formation after vomiting. In Germany, more than 90% of cases are caused by the four pathogens Norovirus, Rotavirus, Campylobacter and Salmonella. Therapy of infectious diarrhea is mainly supportive. In cases with a severe or prolonged course, signs of inflammation, bloody stool, immunosuppression, comorbidity and in suspected outbreaks, fecal microbial analysis should be performed and a specific therapy should be considered if indicated.

Publication types

  • English Abstract
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Bacterial Infections / diagnosis
  • Bacterial Infections / epidemiology
  • Bacterial Infections / etiology
  • Bacterial Infections / therapy
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Disease Outbreaks
  • Dysentery / diagnosis*
  • Dysentery / epidemiology
  • Dysentery / etiology
  • Dysentery / therapy
  • Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli
  • Epidemics
  • Escherichia coli Infections / diagnosis
  • Escherichia coli Infections / epidemiology
  • Escherichia coli Infections / therapy
  • Escherichia coli Infections / transmission
  • Feces / microbiology
  • Feces / parasitology
  • Feces / virology
  • Fluid Therapy
  • Gastroenteritis / diagnosis*
  • Gastroenteritis / epidemiology
  • Gastroenteritis / etiology
  • Gastroenteritis / therapy
  • Germany
  • Hemolytic-Uremic Syndrome / diagnosis
  • Hemolytic-Uremic Syndrome / epidemiology
  • Hemolytic-Uremic Syndrome / therapy
  • Humans
  • Incidence
  • Protozoan Infections / diagnosis
  • Protozoan Infections / epidemiology
  • Protozoan Infections / therapy
  • Protozoan Infections / transmission