Who is most at risk (morbidity and mortality) from acute diarrheal illness?
- The very young, older adults, and the immune compromised are most at risk for morbidity and mortality from acute diarrheal illness.
- Other risk factors include travel to developing countries, those who work in or attend a daycare, and those who are receiving or have recently received antibiotics, although among the young and healthy mortality is extremely rare.
- Children younger than the age of 5 in developing countries, mainly sub-Saharan Africa and Asia, suffer disproportionately from diarrheal disease.
- Acute and persistent diarrheal infections are a major source of pediatric mortality and morbidity. Annually, 800,000 pediatric deaths are attributable to diarrheal diseases.
- Meanwhile, travelers’ diarrhea affects upward of 20 million people per year and is the most common illness to affect travelers.
