Eleven years ago, Dr. Mary Estes of Baylor College of Medicine and her colleagues discovered the first viral enterotoxin, rotavirus NSP4, a toxic protein that affects the intestines, causing diarrhea.

Researchers from the University of Texas have reported the development of a needle-free vaccine to protect travelers from diarrhea.

Many patients may soon find relief from the bloating, cramping, abdominal pain and constipation associated with irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS.

It's no secret that traveling can wreak havoc on your stomach, with traveler's diarrhea (TD) being the most common ailment, but even minor upset related to change of location, new foods, etc.

Every year, millions of people are infected with noroviruses - commonly called “stomach flu” – often resulting in up to 72 hours of vomiting and diarrhea. While most people recover in a few days, the symptoms can lead to dehydration and - in rare cases, especially among the elderly and infants - death.

Both in institutions and in communities, interventions that promote hand washing lead to significant reductions in the incidence of diarrhoea.

Food poisoning caused by the bacteria enterohemorrhagic Eschericia coli (EHEC) O157:H7A results in severe abdominal cramps and bloody diarrhea. In the very young and old it can also cause hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) -- a disease characterized by anemia and kidney failure.

Today’s issue of the scientific journal Science presents research on the genetic make-up and biology of the parasite Giardia lamblia that ultimately may lead to better diagnosis and treatment of the diarrhea disease giardiasis, which affects 200 million people every year.

Each year more than half a million infants worldwide, primarily in developing countries, die from diarrhoea caused by rotavirus. Even in industrialised countries management of the infection costs economies about $1 billion a year.

The bacterium that causes a highly contagious and sometimes deadly form of diarrhea is frequently carried by persons who do not have any of the disease symptoms, according to a study in the Oct. 15 issue of Clinical Infectious Diseases, now available online.

Although the state has seen cooler temperatures recently, there are sure to be many more days this summer when Iowans will feel like cooling off in their local swimming pool or lake. If you have been sick with diarrhea or an upset stomach, however, the Iowa Department of Public Health’s recommendation is to stay out of the water.

Several probiotic products are marketed as effective treatments for acute diarrhoea in children, but a study published on www.bmj.com today finds that not all of these preparations are effective.