Diarrhea etiology

Because patients often present with nonspecific GI symptoms, initial diagnostic evaluation includes methods to characterize the disease and rule out other potential etiologies. This may include stool cultures to examine for infectious causes of diarrhea. 

Empiric antibiotic therapy is an appropriate approach to traveler s diarrhea. Eradication of the causal microbe depends on the etiologic agent and its antibiotic sensitivity. Most cases of traveler s diarrhea and other community-acquired infections result from enterotoxigenic (ETEC) or enteropathogenic (EPEC) Escherichia coli. Routine stool cultures do not identify these strains primary empiric antibiotic choices include fluoroquinolones such as ciprofloxacin or levofloxacin. Azithromycin may be a feasible option when fluoroquinolone resistance is encountered. 

General absence of conjunctivitis, hoarseness, cough, rhinorrhea, discrete ulcerations, and diarrhea (suggestive of viral etiology)... 

C. difficile is not commonly involved in the etiology of childhood diarrhea [130]. The combination of the test for toxin A B, culture for toxigenic C. difficile and a second test for toxin A B can enhance the potential for diagnosis of C. difficile associated diarrhea [131]. 

Adachi J, Jiang ZD, Mathewson JJ, Verenkar MP, Thompson S, Martinez-Sandoval F, Steffen R, Ericsson CD, DuPont HL Enteroaggre-gative Escherichia coli as a major etiologic agent in traveler s diarrhea in 3 regions of the world. Clin Infect Dis 2001 32 1706-1709. 

Bellaiche G, Le Pennec MP, Coudat L, Ley G, Slama JL Value of proctosigmoidoscopy with bacteriological culture of colonic biopsies in the etiological diagnosis of post-antibiotic acute diarrhea in adults. Prospective study in 24 patients. Pathol Biol 1997 45 70-715. 

Fluid replacement is the cornerstone of therapy for diarrhea regardless of etiology. 

This patient was the first case in our series in which ALPE was detected with acute renal failure due to unknown etiology. On September 19,1976, he ran two 100-m races at an athletics meeting. On September 20, vomiting, diarrhea, and upper abdominal pain developed, and the patient attended our department. His serum creatinine and uric acid levels were 5.0 mg/dl and 17.0 mg/dl, respectively. The pain persisted for 1... 

ABL is frequently misdiagnosed due to a multitude of nonspecific and unrelated symptoms, as well as rarity of the disease. An initial diagnosis of celiac disease, a more common malab-sorptive disorder, is therefore frequently made. Celiac disease also presents as abdominal discomfort and diarrhea with frequent remissions and exacerbations. Its etiology is unknown, but there is a clear association with gliadin, a constituent of most grains, as well as an undefined immunological component. Symptoms of celiac disease often abate when the individual is placed on a gluten-free diet, whereas those associated with ABL do not, as this patient clearly demonstrated. 

Diarrhea and constipation are associated with many illnesses and always produce concern to the effectiveness of therapeutic agents. Like gastroesophageal reflux, the etiology of these conditions is diverse and hence the effect on transit will vary. For example, in a group of constipated patients, a scintigraphic study using a water-soluble marker demonstrated a rapid... 

It is a nonpathogenic protozoa of the large intestine of man also distributed throughout the world. The flagellate is present only in the trophozoite form. The parasite may be seen in very large numbers in stool during diarrhea of nonparasitic etiology. 

Bismuth subsalicylate suspension has been evaluated in the treatment of secretory diarrhea of infectious etiology as well. In a dose of 30 mL every 30 minutes for eight doses, unformed stools decrease in the first 24 hours. Bismuth subsalicylate may also be effective in preventing traveler s diarrhea. 

The traditional classification system for laxatives and cathartics by suspected mode of action is not very useful, as this is not clearly understood for many agents. In general, most of these products induce bowel evacuation by one or more of the mechanisms associated with the etiology of diarrhea, including active electrolyte secretion, decreased water and electrolyte absorption, increased intraluminal osmolarity, and increased hydrostatic pressnre in the gnt. Laxatives convert the intestine from primarily an organ that absorbs water and electrolytes to an organ that secretes these substances. 

The etiology of infectious diarrhea includes bacteria, viruses, and protozoans. Viral infections are the leading cause of diarrhea in the world. 

Rohner P, Pittet D, Pepey B, et al. Etiological agents of infectious diarrhea Implications for requests for microbial culture. J Clin Microbiol 1997 35 1427-1432. 

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