Summary
Definition
History and exam
Key diagnostic factors
- diarrhea
- history of travel, contact with contaminated food, or contact with infected person
Other diagnostic factors
- abdominal pain or discomfort
- volume depletion
- fever
- nausea/vomiting
- anorexia
- lethargy
Risk factors
- contaminated food products
- travel
- poor hygiene
- extremes of age (<5 years and >60 years)
- contact history
- immunocompromised state
- contact with infected animals
Diagnostic investigations
1st investigations to order
- stool cultures
- CBC
- renal function and electrolytes
Investigations to consider
- stool serotyping/polymerase chain reaction
- blood cultures
- inflammatory markers (CRP and/or erythrocyte sedimentation rate)
- abdominal x-ray
- endoscopy
- abdominal CT scan
Treatment algorithm
Contributors
Authors
Professor of Medicine
Rosalind Franklin University Medical School
North Chicago
Associate Director for Research
Internal Medicine Residency
Advocate Lutheran General Hospital
Park Ridge
IL
Adjunct Professor of Pediatric Gastroenterology
University of Miami Miller Medical School
Miami
FL
Disclosures
EDE is a consultant for Pediatric Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Dr Eli D. Ehrenpreis would like to gratefully acknowledge Dr Alexandra Kent and Professor Satis Keshav, the previous contributors to this topic.
Disclosures
AK and SK declare that they have no competing interests.
Peer reviewers
Consultant Gastroenterologist
St George’s Hospital
London
UK
Disclosures
AP declares that he has no competing interests.
Research Fellow and Medical Microbiologist
Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute
Department of Microbiology
Addenbrooke's Hospital
Cambridge
UK
Disclosures
FC declares that she has no competing interests.
Voluntary Assistant Professor of Medicine
Digestive Health & Nutrition Center of Ashland
Ashland
KY
Disclosures
HEM declares that he has no competing interests.
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