Interferon-alpha in viral and bacterial gastroenteritis: a comparison withC-reactive protein and interleukin-6

The aim of the study was to identify serum markers able to differentiate ba cterial and viral ol origin in acute diarrhoea. Interferon-alpha (INF-alpha ), C-reactive protein (CRP) and interleukin-6 were determined on admission in the sera of 119 children aged between mo and 14 y who were hospitalized for rotavirus (n = 60) or bacterial diarrhoea (Salmonella spp. 39 cases, Sh igella spp. 15 cases, Campylobacter jejuni 5 cases). CRP concentration was >10 mg/l in 48.3% of children with viral gastroenteritis and 86.4% of child ren with bacterial gastroenteritis. IL6 concentration was >100 pg/ml in 11. 7% and 26.3% of cases, respectively. INF-alpha was detected in 79.1% of chi ldren with rotavirus (sens 79%) and in 3.5% (spec 93%) with bacterial gastr oenteritis. However the INF-alpha assay takes 48 h and pathogens are often identified from steels before interferon results are available. We found th at serum markers are not discriminating enough to differentiate between vir al and bacterial gastroenteritis in emergency cases.