Causes

Five Common Types of Diarrheal Pathogens

Rotavirus
Rotavirus is responsible for over 100 million cases of diarrhea and 600,000 deaths every year, making it the most common cause of diarrheal death in children under the age of five worldwide.

Cholera
Cholera is a waterborne disease that causes acute diarrhea. Several promising vaccines have been developed, although they are not yet in widespread use in endemic areas.

E. coli
E. coli is the most common cause of diarrhea in the developing world. As with other pathogens, antibiotic resistant strains are becoming more prevalent.

Salmonella
Salmonella is the causative agent for typhoid fever. Several vaccines for typhoid have been developed, and studies suggest that immunization can reduce the incidence of disease in endemic areas.

Shigella
It is estimated that the Shigella bacterium is responsible for over one hundred thousand deaths every year. As with E. coli and campylobacter, antibiotic-resistant strains are increasingly common.