Viral gastroenteritis

Ulrich Desselberger; Jim Gray

doi:10.1016/j.mpmed.2009.08.005

Viral gastroenteritis

Medicine (Abingdon). 2009 Nov;37(11):594-598. doi: 10.1016/j.mpmed.2009.08.005. Epub 2009 Oct 31.

Authors

Ulrich Desselberger^{1

2}, Jim Gray^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ is a Director of Research, Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, UK. Competing interests: none declared.
² is a Head of the Enteric Virus Unit, Virus Reference Department, Centre for Infections, Health Protection Agency, London, UK. Competing interests: none declared.

Abstract

The virology, immunology, diagnosis, clinical symptoms, treatment, epidemiology and prevention measures relating to the most common viral causes of acute gastroenteritis (rotaviruses, human caliciviruses, astroviruses and enteric adenoviruses) are briefly reviewed. Uncommon viral causes of acute gastroenteritis and viruses causing gastroenteritis in immunodeficient patients are mentioned. The main change over the past three years has been the development, licensing and wide application of new live attenuated rotavirus vaccines.

Keywords: acute gastroenteritis; astrovirus; enteric adenovirus; human calicivirus; norovirus; rotavirus; rotavirus vaccine; sapovirus.

Publication types

Review