ABSTRACT
Diarrheal diseases affect millions worldwide and have the greatest impact among children, especially in developing countries. However, they are also of public health significance in developed countries and are associated with considerable morbidity and a substantial number of hospitalizations among children and the elderly (1). In these countries, the estimated median percentage of diarrheal episodes in children associated with specific agents was given by Bern et al. (1) as approximately 30% caused by rotaviruses, 15% by bacteria, and another 15% by other viruses. However, in about 40% of the episodes of diarrhea an agent could not be recognized.
