Gastrointestinal Diseases | Thermo Fisher Scientific

The importance of knowing the pathogens that cause infectious gastroenteritis

Infectious gastroenteritis is the inflammation of the stomach and/or intestines caused by pathogens such as viruses, bacteria, or parasites. The disease manifests mainly with diarrhea with or without vomiting, which can, in severe cases, lead to dehydration and electrolyte imbalance. Other possible complications include muscle cramps, kidney damage, and diminished urine. Depending on the pathogen causing the infection, the release of toxins can lead to secretory diarrhea, while others cause an invasive, inflammatory diarrhea.

Many pathogens that cause infectious gastroenteritis live in the intestines of animals, such as pets or domestic animals whose products are used for human consumption. Other pathogens can live in water and be present on unwashed vegetables or pre-made salads. Many can also survive on contaminated surfaces such as kitchen counters. This means that most people are at risk of contracting infectious gastroenteritis. In 2022, a reported outbreak of norovirus—one of the leading causes of infectious gastroenteritis—was linked to raw oysters harvested in the state of Texas. The outbreak left over 300 people ill with infectious gastroenteritis.*

Gastrointestinal pathogen research enables laboratories to further understand the overall infection biology of the pathogens that cause the disease. Given the multiple pathogens and high infectiousness, it is important for laboratories to build their workflows with highly sensitive assays that can detect and differentiate between multiple pathogenic targets in the same stool sample.

*Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Norovirus Outbreaks. May 10, 2023.

Infographic: Infectious gastroenteritis

This comprehensive infographic provides an overview of the causes of infectious gastroenteritis, how it spreads, its treatment, and testing technology.

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On-demand webinar: Advances in Diagnostic Testing for the Bacteria, Viruses, and Parasites that cause Infectious Gastroenteritis

In this webinar, Davidson Hamer, MD, from the Boston University School of Public Health and Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, discusses the challenges of infectious gastroenteritis, it’s causes and different testing technologies.

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Read the webinar blog ›

Pathogens that cause gastroenteritis

Bacteria	Viruses	Parasites
Shigella	Norovirus	Cryptosporidium parvum
Salmonella	Rotavirus	Entamoeba histolytica
Clostridium difficile	Adenovirus	Giardia lamblia
Campylobacter	Sapovirus	Cyclospora cayetanensis
Yersinia enterocolitica/Y. pseudotuberculosis	Astrovirus
Vibrio spp
Aeromonas
Plesiomonas shigelloides
Escherichia coli

Enteric pathogen infections

Infection, signs and possible causes*

Signs of infection, transmission, and possible causes*

	Viral cause	Bacterial cause	Parasitic cause
Signs of infection	Watery diarrhea without blood or mucus Vomiting Intermediate onset (24–60 hr) Short symptom duration (12–60 hr)	Diarrhea which can be bloody/mucoid Fever Cramping/ bloating Onset <16 hr	Watery diarrhea that can be foul-smelling or greasy Abdominal pain/cramping
Possible vehicle of transmission	Contaminated food and water Closed communities such as daycare centers, healthcare, or long-term care facilities	Food contamination Animal exposure Closed communities such as daycare centers, healthcare, or long-term care facilities	Food contamination Water contamination Closed communities such as daycare centers, healthcare, or long-term care facilities Travel Animal contact

Benefits of molecular stool testing

Real-time PCR technology has significant advantages over other methods for identifying enteric pathogens. Traditional methods like culturing, immunodiagnostics, and microscopy can be inaccurate, subjective, or prone to contamination and often require repeat testing or reflex testing. Fastidious microorganisms often cannot be grown or detected using traditional methods, and long sample processing times can delay time-to-results. Molecular tests for relevant pathogens may be unavailable or lack flexibility.

Testing methods

Culture

A sample is sent to a lab where experts encourage organisms in the sample to multiply. Then they examine the dish to identify the pathogen.

An image of a COVID-19 rapid antigen test and nasal swab

Antigen (Rapid)

Sample collection swabs are agitated in a pre-mixed solution and tested on a paper strip to return results within half an hour.

Molecular (PCR)

Genetic material from samples collected on swabs is amplified to detect genetic traces of a specific organism, even in early stages of infection.

Reference

*Shane AL, Mody RK, et al. 2017 Infectious Diseases Society of America Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Infectious Diarrhea. Clin Infect Dis. 2017 Nov 29;65(12):e45-e80. doi: 10.1093/cid/cix669. PMID: 29053792; PMCID: PMC5850553.

Style Sheet for Global Design System

Why test for gastrointestinal pathogens?

Early, accurate detection and differentiation is the first step toward understanding the cause of infection and determining next steps