ABSTRACT
Gastrointestinal (GI) infections are bacterial, parasitic, or viral infections that cause gastroenteritis, an inflammation of the GI tract. A wide range of GI diseases are caused by bacteria, when bacteria or its associated toxins are ingested through contaminated food or water. Though most bacterial GI illness is short lived and self-limiting, it can be fatal if not treated properly.
This remains a common problem in both primary care and emergency centers in developing world. Some of the major bacteria that cause GI illness include Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp., Shigella, Campylobacter spp., and Clostridium spp., Yersinia, and Bacillus cereus. This chapter discusses different types of causative bacteria, mode of infection, and mechanism that contributes to pathophysiology of the disease. This review also adds a note on various methods and challenges in diagnosis and treatment of bacteria causing GI infections.
