Spectrum of Acute Diarrhea in a General Hospital

Abstract

The acute enteric diarrheal diseases, including salmonellosis, shigellosis and “antibiotic bowel,” account for a significant proportion of admissions to the hospital of patients complaining of diarrhea. Every patient with severe diarrhea needs a careful assessment of his state of hydration, electrolytes and blood volume followed by immediate, energetic correction of deficiencies. A fatal case of acute gastroenteritis is described to emphasize the serious potential of acute nonspecific diarrhea.