title: Infectious diarrhea in history.
abstract: Throughout history, infectious diarrhea has been associated with crowding, poor sanitation, and war. Although descriptions of infectious diarrhea exist in the earliest records of civilization, effective measures for prevention were not widely or consistently used until the modern era of active public health promotion. Advances in the understanding of etiologies and therapies have revolutionized prognosis; however, constant vigilance against lapses in public health is necessary to prevent outbreaks of disease.
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Diseases, Clinical Investigation Department (KCA), Naval Medical Center San Diego, 34800 Bob Wilson Drive, Suite 5, San Diego, CA 92134-1005, USA. mllim@nmcsd.med.navy.mil
authors.forename: Matthew L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.forename: Mark R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Wallace
mesh_terms: D002771:Cholera / Q000266:history; D004403:Dysentery / Q000209:etiology / Q000266:history* / Q000628:therapy; D049671:History, 18th Century; D049672:History, 19th Century; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049690:History, Ancient; D049691:History, Medieval; D006801:Humans; D014435:Typhoid Fever / Q000266:history