Incidence, Etiology, and Healthcare Utilization for Acute Gastroenteritis in the Community, United States
Mark A. Schmidt, Holly C. Groom, Andreea M. Rawlings, Claire P. Mattison, Suzanne B. Salas, Rachel M. Burke, Ben D. Hallowell, Laura E. Calderwood, Judy Donald, Neha Balachandran, Aron J. Hall
Abstract
I n the United States, the incidence of acute gastro- enteritis (AGE) is high. AGE is estimated to cause 179 million illnesses annually Precise data are limited on the occurrence and characteristics of sporadic AGE, particularly because the illnesses are generally mild and usually do not require medical care; may not have had diagnostic testing even if care was sought; and, depending on the pathogen, may not be reportable through public health surveillance systems. Previous US publications, using data from the US Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network (FoodNet), have reported AGE prevalence ranging from 7.7 to 11%, equivalent to roughly 0.7-1.4 illnesses/person/year, depending on the recall period (i.e., 7 or 28 days) and symptom profile (i.e., diarrheal illness alone or with the presence of additional symptoms) (1,3-5). These studies have been essential in establishing estimates of AGE incidence in the community and highlighting the substantial burden of disease. However, differences in AGE case definitions have complicated efforts to compare findings across studies and time periods, and robust estimates of occurrence across the age spectrum remain limited. Consequently, there is a need to obtain all-age, population-based estimates of AGE within the United States.