title: Diagnosis and treatment of acute or persistent diarrhea.
abstract: Studies of microbial pathogens and the toxins they produce are important for determining the mechanisms by which they cause disease and spread throughout a population. Some bacteria produce secretory enterotoxins (such as cholera toxin or the heat-labile or stable enterotoxins produced by Escherichia coli) that invade cells directly. Others invade cells or produce cytotoxins (such as those produced by Shigella, enteroinvasive E coli, or Clostridium difficile) that damage cells or trigger host responses that cause small or large bowel diseases (such as enteroaggregative or enteropathogenic E coli or Salmonella). Viruses (such as noroviruses and rotaviruses) and protozoa (such as Cryptosporidium, Giardia, or Entamoeba histolytica) disrupt cell functions and cause short- or long-term disease. Much epidemiologic data about these pathogens have been collected from community- and hospital-acquired settings, as well as from patients with traveler's or persistent diarrhea. These studies have led to practical approaches for prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Disease and International Health, Center for Global Health, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia 22908, USA.
authors.forename: Sean W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Pawlowski
authors.forename: Cirle Alcantara
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Warren
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Guerrant
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D001419:Bacteria / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006801:Humans; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D004269:DNA, Bacterial