Management of acute infectious diarrhea for children living in resource-limited settings

Acute infectious gastroenteritis continues to be a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in children below 5 years of age, with the majority of deaths concentrated in 35 'low income' countries. In these countries the under five years of age mortality rates reach 100 per 1000 live births, of which a significant proportion are associated with acute diarrhea. Rotavirus, cryptosporidium, Shigella spp and enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli are the main pathogens causing disease in these settings, although other bacteria and parasites can cause moderate to severe disease in different regions and situations. Treatment of children in these setting should be focused on appropriate rehydration, early hospitalization of severely malnourished children, zinc supplementation, and in specific situations, antimicrobials should be considered. The rationale for antimicrobial use should be based on the potential benefits based on published literature and the opportunity for use. This review provides a pathogen-specific update on the potential benefits of antimicrobials and suggests an empirical management approach for children suffering an acute watery or bloody diarrhea in a resource-limited region.