[Bacteriologic and serologic diagnosis of enteral infections]

Infections of the gastrointestinal tract still are numerous, ranging on the second place after infections of the respiratory tract. Some of them show quite severe or prolonged course. In contrast to other infections, especially those of the urinary tract, laboratory diagnostic of enteritis is only scarcely ordered. During the last ten years new methods and knowledge of etiologic germs like Campylobacter, Yersinia, various types of E. coli, Clostridium difficile, Rotavirus, Adenovirus, Giardia, Blastomyces and Cryptosporidia have been accumulated. A better etiologic diagnosis of these infections should enable the clinician to start a more precise and therefore more effective therapy.