Acute Infectious Bloody Diarrhea

Abstract

Acute bloody diarrhea, with or without vomiting and fever, commonly is associated with pathogenic bacteria in pediatric patients. This dysenteric process commonly has been associated with Salmonella, Shigella, and Campylobacter sp. Aeromonas recently has been implicated as a causative agent of bloody diarrhea. In one study of patients with Aeromonas-positive diarrhea, 30% had blood in their stools, 37% had vomiting, and 31% had fever.

Diarrhea due to Salmonella, Shigella, and Campylobacter is usually self-limiting, with most patients showing significant improvement a few days after the onset of illness. Often, the patient's symptoms have resolved by the time that stool cultures are positive.