ACUTE BACTERIAL DIARRHEA - PATHOPHYSIOLOG IC CONSIDERATIONS

The use of cell biology techniques then of molecular biology in the fi elds of bacteriology and digestive physiology has considerably improve d our knowledge of acute infectious diarrhea. These methods have demon strated that complex mechanisms are involved in the expression of the pathogenic effects of bacteria, but have also shown that metabolic and immune host digestive tract responses play a central role in the clin ical presentation and severity of acute infectious diarrhea. These fin dings may have important therapeutic implications.