Infectious gastroenterocolitides in children: an update on emerging pathogens.

Abstract

The recognition that bacterial infections induce signal transduction responses in infected epithelial cells also provides new avenues to consider as novel forms of therapy. For example, the chemokine interleukin-8, which attracts neutrophils to sites of mucosal infection, is produced by epithelial cells of gastric and intestinal origin in response to bacterial infection. Inhibitors of chemokine production or inhibition of the biologic effects of neutrophil chemoattractants have the potential to reduce both mucosal inflammatory responses and the attendant clinical sequelae. Eukaryotic cells also respond to infection with elevations in cytosolic second messengers, including inositol triphosphate (IP3) and calcium ([Ca2+]i). In intestinal epithelium, these second messengers can mediate the diarrheal response to infection. Calcium/calmodulin inhibitors may have a beneficial effect in treating those gastrointestinal infections mediated through changes in the level of cytosolic free calcium. DuPont and colleagues showed, for example, that oral therapy with zaldaride maleate relieves symptoms of disease and shortens the duration of diarrhea in travelers with ETEC-induced diarrhea. Evaluation of additional signal transduction responses to microbial infections should provide both new insights into the pathogenesis of gastrointestinal infectious diseases and novel approaches to consider for the prevention and therapy for these human illnesses.

• Authors: P M Sherman, M Petric, M B Cohen
• Journal: Pediatric clinics of North America (Pediatr Clin North Am) Vol. 43 Issue 2 Pg. 391-407 (Apr 1996) ISSN: 0031-3955 [Print] United States
• PMID: 8614607 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S., Review)

Chemical References

• Antidiarrheals
• Benzimidazoles
• Chemokines
• CGS 9343B

Topics

• Antidiarrheals (therapeutic use)
• Bacterial Infections (complications)
• Benzimidazoles (therapeutic use)
• Chemokines (immunology)
• Child
• Child, Preschool
• Gastroenteritis (diagnosis, drug therapy, immunology, microbiology)
• Humans
• Infant
• Signal Transduction (drug effects, immunology)
• Virus Diseases (complications)