Abnormal gastric motor function in viral gastroenteritis.

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology
• Virology
• Physiology

Background:

• Nausea and vomiting are common symptoms of viral gastroenteritis.
• Parvovirus-like agents, such as Norwalk and Hawaii viruses, cause gastroenteritis with minimal small bowel histologic injury.
• Gastric mucosa is typically unaffected in these infections.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the role of gastric emptying and secretion in viral gastroenteritis.
• To determine if abnormal gastric motor function contributes to nausea and vomiting during parvovirus-like agent infections.

Main Methods:

• Serial gastric emptying studies of liquids were performed in volunteers before and after viral challenge.
• Gastric secretion of hydrochloric acid, pepsin, and intrinsic factor was measured in infected volunteers.
• Comparison of gastric function between symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals.

Main Results:

• Volunteers who developed illness after ingesting Norwalk or Hawaii viruses showed significantly delayed gastric emptying.
• Asymptomatic volunteers exhibited no changes in gastric emptying.
• No alterations in basal or stimulated gastric secretion of key substances were observed during illness.

Conclusions:

• Delayed gastric emptying is a key feature of parvovirus-like agent-induced gastroenteritis.
• Abnormal gastric motor function, rather than altered gastric secretion, likely underlies the nausea and vomiting associated with these viral infections.