Expected in Digestive Oncology (original) (raw)

Acute diarrhea is a major public health problem in both resource-limited countries and developed countries of the world. In the former acute diarrhea is the second highest cause of death (after pneumonia) in children under five, and it is likely that repeated enteric infections may be responsible for both growth and mental retardation in a sizeable number of children. The primary factor responsible for acute diarrhea is the lack of clean water with the existing water supplies frequently contaminated with fecal wastes. Acute diarrhea also affects individuals in more economically advanced countries