title: Acute gastroenteritis: the need to remember alternative diagnoses.
abstract: Five hundred and ninety-four patients were consecutively admitted to an infectious disease unit over a 2-year period with a referral diagnosis of acute gastroenteritis or food poisoning. In 175 (29%) patients, gastrointestinal symptoms were associated with a condition other than gastrointestinal infection. Non-infective gastrointestinal disease was present in 90 patients, systemic infection in 50 and systemic disease in 35. Four illustrative case histories are presented to emphasize the need for a high index of suspicion if diseases such as malaria, septicaemia or appendicitis are not to be missed.
authors.affiliation: Regional Infectious Disease Unit, Fazakerley Hospital, Liverpool, UK.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Felton
authors.forename: A D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Harries
authors.forename: N J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Beeching
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Rogerson
authors.forename: F J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Nye
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D001064:Appendicitis / Q000175:diagnosis; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D008288:Malaria / Q000175:diagnosis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum; D018805:Sepsis / Q000175:diagnosis; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000175:diagnosis