Gastro intestinal infections

Gastrointestinal infections can be caused by a large number of microorganisms, including: Adenovirus Adenovirus can cause diarrhea, fever, conjunctivitis, bladder infections and rashes, but the most common symptom is respiratory illness. After rotavirus, it is the most common cause of pediatric diarrhea.   Campylobacter Campylobacter is one of the most common bacterial cause of gastroenteritis worldwide and is frequent in children under two. It can cause diarrhea (sometimes bloody), abdominal cramps, vomiting and fever. It is usually food-borne through raw or undercooked meat (especially poultry) or through contaminated milk.   Clostridium difficile Clostridium difficile infection is responsible for up to 25% of cases of antibiotic-associated diarrhea most often contracted in hospitals or healthcare institutions3. Elderly and immunocompromized patients are most at risk. The recent emergence of highly toxigenic and resistant C. difficile strains has led to more frequent and severe outbreaks, increased morbidity and mortality. Escherichia coli Escherichia coli, often called E. coli, is the leading cause of travelers’ diarrhea and a major cause of diarrheal disease in the developing world, especially among children. People usually contract E. coli through ingestion of water contaminated with human or animal feces. Escherichia coli O157:H7   Escherichia coli O157:H7 is a Shiga toxin-producing form of E. coli bacteria, which causes gastrointestinal infections with symptoms including bloody diarrhea and vomiting. Though it usually resolves after a few days, it can sometimes (5-10%4 of infections) lead to hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), which can result in kidney failure if untreated. Helicobacter pylori   Helicobacter pylori called H. pylori, is a cause of gastritis and is associated with the development of gastric and duodenal ulcers. It can cause stomach pain or nausea, but in many cases there are no symptoms. Infected people have a 10-20% lifetime risk of developing peptic ulcers and a 1 to 2% risk of stomach cancer5. Rotavirus   Rotavirus is the most frequent cause of diarrhea in young children and infants and it is responsible for the most severe cases. There is a vaccine for rotavirus, but globally it causes more than ½ million deaths per year in children less than five years old.6 Most of these are in emerging countries. Salmonella and Shigella Salmonella and Shigella are food-borne GI illnesses. Salmonella is common and is found in raw meats, poultry, seafood and eggs, as well as milk and dairy products. Acute symptoms include nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, diarrhea, fever, and headache. Shigella is frequently found in water polluted with human feces. Symptoms of shigellosis (bacillary dysentery) include abdominal pain, cramps, diarrhea, fever, vomiting, and blood, pus, or mucus in stool.   Staphylococcus aureus Staphylococcus aureus is the most common cause of food intoxication, characterized by abrupt/violent onset, severe nausea, cramps, vomiting, and diarrhea using lasting 1-2 days. This opportunistic pathogen can be found on humans (skin, infected cuts, noses and throats) and has been associated with a wide range of foods including meat and meat products, poultry and egg products, salads, bakery products, and dairy products.   Yersinia enterocolitica Yersinia enterocolitica, called Y. enterocolitica, is a relatively infrequent cause of diarrhea and abdominal pain. Infection is most often acquired by eating contaminated food, especially raw or undercooked pork products, as well as ice-cream and milk. Common symptoms are fever, abdominal pain, and diarrhea, which is often bloody. Diagnosis When symptoms point to a possible gastrointestinal infection, diagnosis can be confirmed through laboratory tests used for culture or antigen detection from stool specimens. In certain cases (e.g. for E. coli, Salmonella, C. difficile …), antibiotic susceptibility testing is used to determine microbial resistance to antibiotic therapy, if appropriate. Particularly in hospital settings, rapid diagnosis provides important information for implementing infection control measures. To diagnose the cause of a diarrhea, it is helpful to consider where the context is a food-borne outbreak or “travelers’ diarrhea”.