bacterial gastroenteritis

Of course, gastroenteritis IS PROBABLY VIRAL STOP ASKING FOR ABX

Organism Toxin Notes
Vibrio cholerae Cholera toxin Causes activation of adenylate cyclase (via Gs) leading to increases in cAMP levels, which in turn leads to increased chloride secretion and reduced sodium absorption
Shigella dysenteriae Shiga toxin Inactivates 60S ribosome → epithelial cell death
Escherichia coli 1. Heat labile toxin

2. Heat stabile toxin
1. Activates adenylate cyclase (via Gs), increasing cAMP → watery diarrhoea

2. Activates guanylate cyclase, increasing cGMP → watery diarrhoea
Staphylococcus aureus Staphylococcus aureus enterotoxin Vomiting and diarrhoeal illness lasting < 24 hours
Bacillus cereus Cereulide Potent cytotoxin that destroys mitochondria. Causes a vomiting illness which may present within 4 hours of ingestion
* implicated in a voluntary recall of SMA formula in 2025...