ABSTRACT
The morbidity of infectious diarrhea in less-developed countries includes infections with many organisms, the most frequent being rotavirus, Campylobacter, enterotoxigenic enteric bacteria, shigella, salmonella, giardia and other parasites. The incidence of prolonged diarrhea generally parallels that of all diarrheal illnesses. In the United States and in other developed countries, diarrheal disease is also an important problem. The relationship between the high frequency of enteric infections and poor sanitary living conditions is well known. Hand washing before preparing food and feeding children has been identified as an infrequent practice in poor communities. The beneficial effects of human milk feeding have been related to different mechanisms including decreased contamination. Hospitalized children with chronic diarrhea have reduced purging rates when they receive continuous feedings rather than bolus meals. The relationship between infection and malnutrition also encompasses other effects beyond the increased susceptibility to infection.
