Infectious Diarrhea

Infectious diarrhea, or gastroenteritis, is an inflammatory condition of the stomach and intestines ^[1]. It may be triggered by gut bacteria, parasites, fungi, or viruses, with rotavirus common in children and norovirus or Campylobacter frequent in adults ^[1].

Affected individuals may experience diarrhea, vomiting, and abdominal pain, often accompanied by fever, fatigue, and dehydration ^[1]. Episodes generally resolve within less than two weeks ^[1].

Globally, an estimated 4.67 billion gastroenteritis cases and 1.17 million deaths occurred in 2021 ^[1]. Among children younger than five, about 1.7 billion cases and 0.7 million deaths were recorded as of 2011, mostly in the poorest nations ^[1]. Roughly 120,000 deaths in this age group were due to rotavirus, a decline linked to expanded vaccination ^[1].

The illness can spread through consumption of contaminated water or food and through close contact with infected persons ^[1]. Sharing personal objects and poor hygiene, especially among children, facilitate transmission, as do crowded households and poor nutritional status ^[1]. Outbreaks rise during rainy seasons when water quality declines, while in temperate regions winter sees higher infection rates ^[1]. Bottle-feeding with unsanitized equipment is a notable cause in infants, and asymptomatic adults may carry organisms and transmit them ^[1].

Hand washing with soap reduces infection rates by up to 30% in both developed and developing settings, with alcohol-based gels also useful ^[1]. Access to clean water, good sanitation, and avoidance of suspected contaminated food or drink are important controls ^[1]. Breastfeeding is protective, particularly where hygiene is poor, and rotavirus vaccination is advised for children ^[1].

1. 1 Wikipedia contributors. Gastroenteritis - Wikipedia [Internet]. Wikipedia. cited 23 Oct 2026. Available from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gastroenteritis
2. 2 Poeta M et al. Acute Infectious Diarrhea. Adv Exp Med Biol. 2024. PMID: 39060736. doi: 10.1007/978-3-031-58572-2_9. PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39060736/