Recent advances in the study of viral gastroenteritis

Acute infectious gastroenteritis is the commonest cause of death in children under 5 years old who live in developing countries. In developed countries, whilst deaths occur rarely, gastroenteritis remains an important public health problem. Before the early 1970s the cause of the majority of diarrhoeal disease episodes was a mystery. The recognized causes of infectious diarrhoea at the time were bacteria and parasites. During the 1970s a number of previously unknown viruses were discovered and subsequently shown to cause infectious gastroenteritis. Numerous studies which were conducted during the late 1970s and early 1980s confirmed the world-wide significance of these viruses as important pathogens, especially the rotaviruses, which can now be cultivated. Emphasizing recent progress, an overview is given of the virus, its pathogenesis and vaccine strategies for preventing disease. Other viruses, including adenoviruses, caliciviruses and astroviruses, are also described and their significance assessed.