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Aetiology

Last reviewed dd mmm yyyy. Last edited dd mmm yyyy

Authoring team

Main causative organisims include:

  • Campylobacter jejuni
  • Shigella spp.
  • Salmonella spp.
  • E. coli
  • Yersinia enterocolitica
  • Clostridium difficile
  • Vibrio cholera (1,2)

Types of bacteria responsible for acute gastroenteritis (AGE) vary according to the geographical area:

  • in developing countries
    • epidemics are caused by Vibrio cholera but the most common bacterial agent is Shigella
  • in Europe
    • Campylobacter, Salmonella spp., enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC), andenteroaggregative E. coli (EAEC) are the most common agents
    • emergence of Clostridium difficile (Cd) as a cause of community-acquired diarrheal illness has been reported, but with a relatively low burden
  • in Ecuador, sub-Saharan Africa, and South Asia,
    • Shigella is common
  • in China
    • Salmonella spp. (8%), diarrheagenic E. coli (5%), Campylobacter jejuni (3%), and Aeromonasspp. (2%)
  • in India
    • E.coli was the most common agent of AGE followed by Shigella
    • in around 34% of cases, 2 or more pathogens were responsible for the condition, with a predominant incidence in children younger than 2 years old

Around 80% cases of traveller’s diarrhoea were caused by bacterial pathogens.

  • Escherichia col, enteroinvasive E. coli (EIEC), and EAEC are seen in majority of patients
  • in addition, Campylobacter, Salmonella, and Shigella play a substantial role (1)

Reference:


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