Gastroenteritis - Viral Differential Diagnosis

Differential Diagnosis

The following diseases should be ruled out in the diagnosis of viral gastroenteritis:

• Acute bacterial gastroenteritis: This may be differentiated from acute viral gastroenteritis by the presence of bloody, bilious or projectile vomiting; mucus or blood in stool; high fever; toxic appearance; petechial rash; tachypnea; cyanosis; poor peripheral perfusion; neck stiffness; and changes in mental status
• Parasitic gastroenteritis
• Food poisoning
• Acute appendicitis
• Diverticulitis
• Inflammatory bowel disease
• Bowel obstruction
• Cholecystitis
• Antibiotic-associated diarrhea
• Malabsorption syndromes (eg celiac disease, cystic fibrosis)
• Inflammatory bowel disease
• Parenteral diarrhea (eg otitis media, urinary tract infection)
• Hemolytic uremic syndrome
• Acrodermatitis enteropathica