Acute
diarrhea remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality in children. Since the introduction of
oral rehydration salts (
ORS) mortality has dropped to less than 50% worldwide. Low osmolarity
ORS improved the outcome and reduced the hospitalization further.
Zinc difficiency has been found to be associated with severe episodes of acute
diarrhea.
Zinc supplement in developing countries did reduce the incidence and prevalence of
diarrhea. In addition,
Zinc supplement significantly reduced the severity of
diarrhea and duration of the episode. In the Americas and Europe, Rota virus
vaccine was 90% effective in preventing severe episodes of severe rotavirus
gastroenteritis. This review concludes that low osmolarilty
ORS,
zinc supplementation and
rotavirus vaccine are major factors in reducing the morbidity, mortality and hospitalization resulting from to acute
gastroenteritis in childhood.