Diarrhea Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Diarrhea, including details on infant and child diarrhea, causes, treatment, pregnany.

Post-operative antibiotic use in nonperforated appendicitis.

Le D, Rusin W, Hill B, Langell J

Department of Surgery, University of Utah Health Sciences Center, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.

BACKGROUND: The appropriate use of preoperative antibiotics in patients undergoing appendectomy for acute appendicitis has been shown to decrease the rate of surgical site infections (SSIs). The benefits of postoperative courses of antibiotics in these patients, however, remain unclear. METHODS: The authors retrospectively reviewed all cases of nonperforated appendicitis performed at their institution over a 10-year period from 1997 to 2007. Patient outcomes were evaluated to include the postoperative development of SSIs, urinary tract infections, diarrhea, and Clostridium difficile infections. RESULTS: A total of 763 patients who underwent appendectomy for nonperforated appendicitis during the study period were identified. Five hundred seven of these patients had appropriate follow-up data and were the subjects of this study. Comparing patients who did and did not receive postoperative antibiotics, no significant differences in the rates of all SSIs (10% vs 9%, P = .64), superficial SSIs (9.3% vs 5.4%, P = .13), deep SSIs (.3% vs .5%, P = 1.0), organ space SSIs (2.8% vs 2.7%, P = .87), urinary tract infections (.6% vs .5%, P = 1.0), and diarrhea (2.5% vs 1.1%, P = .34) were found between groups. CONCLUSIONS: The use of postoperative antibiotics in patients with nonperforated appendicitis does not decrease the rate of SSIs, while it may increase the cost of care.

Published 8 December 2009 in Am J Surg, 198(6): 748-52.
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Articles on Diarrhea published 7 December 2009:

Acute and persistent diarrhea.   Pediatr Clin North Am, 56(6): 1343-61.

Socially disadvantaged Indigenous infants and children living in western industrialized countries experience high rates of infectious diarrhea, no more so than Aboriginal children from remote and rural regions of Northern Australia. Diarrheal disease, poor nutrition, and intestinal enteropathy reflect household crowding, inadequate water and poor sanitation and hygiene. Acute episodes of watery diarrhea are often best managed by oral glucose-electrolyte solutions with continuation of ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

Incidence of rotavirus and all-cause diarrhea in northeast Brazil following the introduction of a national vaccination program.   Gastroenterology, 137(6): 1970-5.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Rotavirus vaccines were introduced in Brazil in 2006; we evaluated their effects in the state of Sergipe, Brazil. METHODS: We performed a cross-sectional survey of children with diarrhea attending emergency services in Aracaju, Brazil, between October 2006 and April 2008 and a cluster sampling survey to assess vaccination coverage. Vaccine efficacy was assessed using the screening method. Diarrhea consultation and hospitalization data (2003-2007) were obtained from state ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

Articles on Diarrhea published 10 November 2009:

Diversity of intestinal Escherichia coli populations in Nicaraguan children with and without diarrhoea.   J Med Microbiol, 58: 1593-600.

Escherichia coli remains an important aetiological agent of infantile diarrhoea in Nicaragua. However, little is known about whether there is a high prevalence of endemic strains or whether infection is due to the epidemic spread of virulent clones. This study was undertaken to determine the diversity and distribution of clonal groups in a population of intestinal E. coli isolated from the faeces of children from León, Nicaragua, with (n=381) and without (n=145) diarrhoea, between March 2005 ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

Articles on Diarrhea published 19 October 2009:

Molecular cloning and characterization of the porcine prostaglandin transporter (SLCO2A1): evaluation of its role in F4 mediated neonatal diarrhoea.   BMC Genet, 10: 64.

BACKGROUND: Because prostaglandins are involved in many (patho)physiological processes, SLCO2A1 was already characterized in several species in an attempt to unravel specific processes/deficiencies. Here, we describe the molecular cloning and characterization of the porcine ortholog in order to evaluate its possible involvement in F4 enterotoxigenic E. coli mediated neonatal diarrhoea, based on a positional candidate gene approach study. RESULTS: Porcine SLCO2A1 is organized in 14 exons, ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

Articles on Diarrhea published 13 October 2009:

Sentinel hospital-based surveillance of rotavirus diarrhea in iran.   J Infect Dis, 200: S244-7.

BACKGROUND: Rotavirus is the most common causes of severe, acute diarrhea during childhood and is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in developing countries. We established active hospital-based surveillance of childhood diarrhea to assess the scope of severe rotavirus disease in Iran. METHODS: From May 2006 through April 2007, prospective surveillance of rotavirus diarrhea among children aged <5 years was conducted in 5 sentinel hospitals in Iran. Stool samples were tested for ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

Burden of severe rotavirus diarrhea in indonesia.   J Infect Dis, 200: S188-94.

Globally, rotavirus is the leading cause of diarrhea-related hospitalizations and deaths among young children, but the burden of rotavirus disease in Indonesia is poorly documented. From January through December 2006, we conducted prospective surveillance (inpatient and outpatient) among children aged <5 years at 6 hospitals in 6 provinces of Indonesia, using standardized methodology. Of 2240 enrolled children hospitalized for diarrhea, 1345 (60%) were rotavirus positive. Of 176 children ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

Articles on Diarrhea published 12 October 2009:

How much could rotavirus vaccines reduce diarrhea-associated mortality in northern Ghana? A model to assess impact.   J Infect Dis, 200: S85-91.

BACKGROUND: Effective rotavirus vaccines could substantially reduce the approximately 500,000 deaths due to rotavirus disease per year worldwide, although the impact will depend on vaccine effectiveness, timing of administration, and coverage. We modeled vaccine impact on rotavirus-associated mortality in rural Ghana. METHODS: All deaths due to acute diarrhea among children during 1998-2004 in the Kassena-Nankana District of Ghana were identified, and the number of deaths due to rotavirus ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

Hospital-based surveillance of rotavirus and other viral agents of diarrhea in children and adults in Russia, 2005-2007.   J Infect Dis, 200: S228-33.

During a 2-year period in 2005-2007, we conducted surveillance of group A rotaviruses and other enteric agents among patients hospitalized with acute gastroenteritis in 8 different cities of the Russian Federation. Fecal specimens were gathered from 3208 children (including 2848 children aged <5 years) and 1354 adults who were admitted to hospitals in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Chelyabinsk, Nizhnii Novgorod, Tyumen, Khabarovsk, Makhachkala, and Yakutsk. Polymerase chain reaction was performed ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

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