Risk factors for contagious gastroenteritis in adult patients with diarrhoea in the emergency department - a prospective observational multicentre study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Infectious gastroenteritis is common in the emergency department (ED). Patients infected with either Norovirus or toxigenic Clostridium difficile require special isolation procedures. The aims were to describe the aetiology of infectious gastroenteritis in the ED, evaluate whether current isolation procedures, based on clinical judgement are sufficient, and to identify information that might be used to identify patients requiring isolation.

Methods

Prospective, observational, multicentre study. We collected information on symptoms, vital signs, travel history, the recent use of antibiotics, and infectious contacts and tested faecal samples for Norovirus, C. difficile, and enteropathogenic bacteria.

Results

The study enrolled 227 patients, of whom 163 (71%)

SUBMITTER: Skyum F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6371479 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature