Children With Diarrhea
Hello. I am Dr. Barbara Mahon. I am a pediatrician and medical epidemiologist. In my practice, I have always found it satisfying to figure out the cause of a child's diarrhea, but working on enteric diseases at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), I have developed a new appreciation for the many enteric infections that affect children. In this CDC Expert Commentary on Medscape, I will focus on the major bacterial enteric infections that can be diagnosed in clinical laboratories. Many organisms -- bacteria, viruses, and parasites -- cause enteric infection, but the leading bacterial causes that your lab will identify are:
•
Salmonella
•
Campylobacter
•
Shigella
•
Yersinia
•
Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (such as E coli O157)
These tend to be some of the more severe enteric infections in children, although viral infections such as rotavirus are more common, and parasitic infections such as Giardia are also important.
Public Information from the CDC and Medscape
Cite this: Foodborne and Enteric Infections in Children - Medscape - Jun 03, 2013.
COMMENTARY
Foodborne and Enteric Infections in Children
Testing Challenges and Prevention Recommendations for Clinicians
Barbara Mahon, MD, MPH
DisclosuresJune 03, 2013
Editorial Collaboration
Medscape &
Children With Diarrhea
Hello. I am Dr. Barbara Mahon. I am a pediatrician and medical epidemiologist. In my practice, I have always found it satisfying to figure out the cause of a child's diarrhea, but working on enteric diseases at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), I have developed a new appreciation for the many enteric infections that affect children. In this CDC Expert Commentary on Medscape, I will focus on the major bacterial enteric infections that can be diagnosed in clinical laboratories. Many organisms -- bacteria, viruses, and parasites -- cause enteric infection, but the leading bacterial causes that your lab will identify are:
• Salmonella
• Campylobacter
• Shigella
• Yersinia
• Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (such as E coli O157)
These tend to be some of the more severe enteric infections in children, although viral infections such as rotavirus are more common, and parasitic infections such as Giardia are also important.
Public Information from the CDC and Medscape
Cite this: Foodborne and Enteric Infections in Children - Medscape - Jun 03, 2013.
Tables
References
Authors and Disclosures
Authors and Disclosures
Author
Barbara Mahon, MD, MPH
Deputy Chief, Enteric Diseases Epidemiology Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, Georgia
Disclosure: Barbara Mahon, MD, MPH, has disclosed no relevant financial relationships.