Long-term Gastrointestinal Consequences are Frequent Following Sporadic Acute Infectious Diarrhea in a Tropical Country: A Prospective Cohort Study

Introduction: Post-infection irritable bowel syndrome (PI-IBS) and functional dyspepsia (PI-FD) have been reported mostly from temperate countries. In contrast, post-infection malabsorption syndrome (PI-MAS), which may mimic PI-IBS, has been reported commonly from the tropics. No report on PI-IBS excluded PI-MAS. Hence, we studied, (i) the frequency of continuing bowel dysfunction after acute gastroenteritis (AGE), (ii) predictors of its occurrence, and (iii) frequency of PI-MAS among patients with PI-IBS.Table: Table. Incidence and relative risks of FGIDs among patients with acute gastroenteritis ( n =345) and controls ( n =345) during 12 months follow-up periodTable: Table. Results of stool microbial studies and incidence of PI-IBS and PI-FDMethods: 345 consecutive subjects each with AGE and age- and gender-matched healthy controls presenting to icddr,b…