Key result
Viruses including rotaviruses and noroviruses are major causes of acute gastroenteritis, but proving the aetiological role of newly identified viruses requires further prospective controlled trials.
This review highlights the major viral causes of acute gastroenteritis and notes that proving associations for newly identified viruses will require prospective controlled trials.
Known viral causes inform acute gastroenteritis care; leaves open aetiological roles of emerging viruses pending prospective trials.
Acute gastroenteritis (AGE) is a common illness affecting all age groups worldwide causing 2.2 million deaths annually. Viruses including rotaviruses, noroviruses, enteric adenoviruses and astroviruses are the major cause of AGE, with rotavirus causing the majority of severe illness. Advances in molecular techniques have led to the identification of many more viruses in faeces. Proving an association with AGE will require prospective controlled trials which so far are few in number.
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Higgins et al. (2012) conducted a review in Acute gastroenteritis (AGE). Viruses was evaluated. Viruses including rotaviruses and noroviruses are major causes of acute gastroenteritis, but proving the aetiological role of newly identified viruses requires further prospective controlled trials.
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