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Likely causes of diarrhea according to epidemiologic characteristics
Traveler’s Diarrhea
- Bacterial infection (mostly acute)
- Protozoal infection (e.g., amebiasis, giardiasis)
- Tropical sprue
Epidemics and Outbreaks
- Bacterial infection
- Viral infection (e.g., rotavirus)
- Protozoal infections (e.g., cryptosporidiosis)
- Brainerd’s diarrhea (epidemic idiopathic secretory diarrhea)
Patients with AIDS
- Opportunistic infections (e.g., cryptosporidiosis, cytomegalovirus, herpes, Mycobacterium avium complex)
- Drug side effect
- Lymphoma
Institutionalized Patients
- Clostridium difficile toxin–mediated colitis
- Food poisoning
- Fecal impaction with overflow diarrhea
- Tube feeding
- Drug side effect
What are the likely causes of osmotic watery diarrhea?
Osmotic laxatives (e.g., Mg 2 + , PO3–4PO43– , SO2–4SO42– ) and carbohydrate malabsorption.
