[Differential therapy of infectious diarrhea]

Abstract

Worldwide, diarrheal diseases caused by communicable pathogens rank first in morbidity and mortality, particularly in young children. Underprivileged groups of poor societies may still suffer from endemic typhus, bacillary dysentery, or cholera. In children however, a significant proportion of recurrent diarrhoeal episodes is caused by toxigenic enterobacteria, non-thyphoidal salmonella, campylobacter, and viruses. Although outbreaks of classical waterborne epidemics have not been reported from industrialized nations, infectious diarrhea is by no means scarce. Industrial cattlebreeding and food production facilitate the spread of nonthyphoidal salmonella, Campylobacter, and possibly Yersinia enterocolitica. Changes in travel patterns, an increasing number of immunocompromised patients, and migration of people from countries with lower sanitary standards warrants awareness to hitherto exceptional pathogens.