title: Gastrointestinal infections.
abstract: Advances in public health have reduced the risk of contracting certain enteric diseases, but many remain, and new pathogens have emerged and/or recently have been discovered. The pathogenic agents are varied and consist of a variety of bacteria and select viruses and parasites. Selected use of microbiologic assays to detect these pathogens is encouraged. When tests are ordered non-judiciously, costs rapidly accrue. The age of the patient, time of year, travel history, and clinical presentation all provide clues to the etiologic agent. Microbiologic assays should be used judiciously to confirm or exclude the likely infectious agents.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Microbiology, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio, USA. procopg@ccf.org
authors.forename: G W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Procop
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000009:adverse effects; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D008828:Microbiological Techniques; D010272:Parasitic Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000469:parasitology / Q000517:prevention & control; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000821:virology
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents