The World Health Organization says a vaccine which can prevent a diarrhoea and vomiting virus should be given to all children as a routine vaccination. Rotavirus causes more than 500,000 diarrheal deaths and two million hospitalisations a year among children. Over 85% of deaths occur in developing countries in Africa and Asia.

A retrospective, population-based study of patients hospitalised with the haemolytic-uraemic syndrome in Western Australia from 1980 to 1994 was undertaken to describe the epidemiology of the disease in this state. We identified 41 patients. Episodes were commonest in children under five years of age (63.4 per cent) and were more frequent in females (58.5 per cent) than in males; only one Aboriginal patient was detected. More than 90 per cent of episodes had a gastrointestinal prodrome lasting from one to 22 days; in 47.6 per cent of these episodes patients had bloody diarrhoea. The average hospital stay was 26 days, and 63.4 per cent of patients required dialysis (mean 10 days). More than 20 per cent of patients developed chronic renal failure, 9.7 per cent died, two patients developed hypertension and one child became epileptic; three of the 10 patients over 16 years of age (30 per cent) died. The haemolytic-uraemic syndrome is potentially fatal, affects mostly young children, and is usually preceded by a gastrointestinal illness. Episodes can occur in common-source outbreaks but, with the exceptions of related cases in families, that appears not to have been so in Western Australia since 1980. There is a need for increased awareness of the haemolytic-uraemic syndrome to enhance prospects for earlier detection and better clinical outcomes. Improved public health surveillance is also needed to reduce the risks of the syndrome in the community.

One bold idea. That’s all it takes. Unorthodox thinking is essential to overcoming the most persistent challenges in global health. Vaccines were first developed over 200 years ago because revolutionary thinkers took an entirely new approach to preventing disease. Grand Challenges Explorations fosters innovation in global health research. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has committed $100 million to encourage scientists worldwide to expand the pipeline of ideas to fight our greatest health challenges. Launched in 2008, Grand Challenge Explorations grants have already been awarded to more than 180 researchers from 29 countries.

Can tomatoes be taught to make antiviral drugs for people who eat them? Would zapping your skin with a laser make your vaccination work better? Could malaria-carrying mosquitoes be given a teensy head cold that would prevent them from sniffing out a human snack bar? These are among 81 projects awarded $100,000 grants Monday by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in a bid to support innovative, unconventional global health research. The five-year health research grants are designed to encourage scientists to pursue bold ideas that could lead to breakthroughs, focusing on ways to prevent and treat infectious diseases, such as HIV, malaria, tuberculosis, pneumonia and diarrheal diseases.

The first global study tracking spending on research and development for "neglected diseases" finds that the battle against dengue is relatively well-funded, whereas pneumonia, meningitis, and diarrhea get mere table crumbs.

An unpleasant topic, I know, especially since it involves such symptoms as diarrhea and vomiting for many. Sometimes it is difficult to know the exact cause.....

Informative article on the causes of dog diarrhea and how to quickly treat dog diarrhea using a natural herbal supplement.

WASHINGTON, Oct 25 (Reuters) - An oral vaccine for diarrhea reduced hospitalizations of children with rotavirus by more than 70 percent in some parts of the United States, saved money and protected unvaccinated children, researchers reported on Saturday. One study by vaccine maker Merck and Co.(MRK.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) showed the vaccine eliminated emergency room visits for the strains of rotavirus targeted by the vaccine last year, while others showed clear benefits of the vaccine, which prevents the most common cause of severe diarrhea.