Acute gastroenteritis diagnostic practices of New Zealand general practitioners

A sample of New Zealand general practitioners was surveyed to determine the laboratory referral practices of general practitioners for patients with acute gastroenteritis, with particular reference to viral gastroenteritis.

A mail questionnaire was sent to 209 general practitioners throughout New Zealand.

The most important criteria for laboratory referral of a diarrhoeal specimen were prolonged duration of illness, presence of blood in the stool, a recent history of overseas travel, tramping or camping, shellfish consumption, or if the patient worked in the food, child care, or health care industries. Most general practitioners reported that they would refer diarrhoeal specimens from less than 25% of their patients with acute gastroenteritis. Requests for testing for viruses other than rotavirus were rare.

The viral agents causing acute gastroenteritis were less likely to receive laboratory confirmation than other causes of gastroenteritis. On the basis of current laboratory investigation practices of general practitioners, foodborne viral gastroenteritis outbreaks are unlikely to be identified as such in New Zealand.