Gastroenteritis causes
Gastroenteritis Microchapters |
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
Overview
Causes
At least 50% of cases of gastroenteritis as foodborne illness are due to norovirus.[1] Another 20% of cases, and the majority of severe cases in children, are due to rotavirus. The third significant viral agent is astrovirus.
Many different bacteria can cause gastroenteritis, including salmonella, shigella, staphylococcus, Campylobacter jejuni, clostridium, E. coli, yersinia, and others. Some sources of the infection are improperly prepared food, reheated meat dishes, seafood, dairy, and bakery products. Each organism causes slightly different symptoms but all result in diarrhea. Colitis, inflammation of the large intestine, may also be present.
References
- ↑ "Norovirus: Technical Fact Sheet". National Center for Infectious Diseases, CDC.