INFECTIOUS CAUSES OF ACUTE-PANCREATITIS

A wide variety of infectious agents has been associated with acute pan creatitis. Strict diagnostic criteria were developed to assess the rel ationship between individual microorganisms and acute pancreatitis. Pa thologic or radiologic evidence of pancreatitis associated with well-d ocumented infection was noted with viruses (mumps, coxsackie, hepatiti s B, cytomegalovirus, varicella-zoster virus, herpes simplex virus), b acteria (Mycoplasma, Legionella, Leptospira, Salmonella), fungi (Asper gillus), and parasites (Toxoplasma, Cryptosporidium, Ascaris), Clues t o the infectious nature of pancreatitis lay in the characteristic sign s and symptoms associated with the particular infectious agent. How of ten these agents are responsible for idiopathic pancreatitis is unclea r.