Enteric infections

Acute gastroenteritis presenting with diarrhoea and or vomiting is extremely common in childhood, and, is extremely difficult to differentiate from community acquired infection. Additionally the aetiology of community acquired acute gastroenteritis varies depending upon setting (developed or developing), age, season and testing modality. In all settings, rotavirus remains the most common cause of gastroenteritis in childhood. Norovirus infections remain important in both developed and developing settings. It is also a major cause of nosocomial and community outbreaks in all ages. Additionally, bacterial and parasitic infections are important as a cause of gastrointestinal disease for residents and tourists in developing countries. Traditionally, the diagnosis of enteric pathogens has been based upon microscopy, culture and antigen detection. However, these methods are relatively insensitive, especially for small viral pathogens including norovirus and sapovirus, and for some protozoa. The advent of molecular diagnostics has marked a significant improvement in the diagnosis of enteric infections, identifying a greater number of episodes in many of the populations studied.