Diarrhea is the passage of three or more loose or liquid stools per day, or an abnormal increase in stool frequency, volume, or fluidity, reflecting disturbed intestinal absorption and secretion of water and electrolytes. It is classified by duration as acute, persistent, or chronic, and by mechanism as secretory, o…
Diarrhea is the passage of three or more loose or liquid stools per day, or an abnormal increase in stool frequency, volume, or fluidity, reflecting disturbed intestinal absorption and secretion of water and electrolytes. It is classified by duration as acute, persistent, or chronic, and by mechanism as secretory, osmotic, inflammatory, or motility-related. Acute diarrhea is most often infectious, caused by viruses such as rotavirus, bacteria, and protozoan parasites, and is a leading cause of childhood morbidity and mortality, particularly among children under five in low-resource settings where dehydration is the principal danger. Inflammatory and immune mechanisms underlie diarrhea associated with enteric infection and chronic gastrointestinal disease. Effective case management centres on prompt rehydration with oral rehydration salts, continued feeding, zinc supplementation in children, and treatment of the underlying cause, while prevention depends on water, sanitation, and hygiene measures, breastfeeding, and vaccination against rotavirus. Research in this area addresses the epidemiology and risk factors of acute and severe diarrhea, rotavirus vaccine impact, intestinal protozoan and parasitic infection, caregiver education on rehydration, and links between enteric disease, environmental sanitation, and child nutritional status. The journal publishes peer-reviewed studies on the causes, complications, prevention, and management of diarrheal disease across populations.
12 peer-reviewed articles, ranked by relevance. Each links to its DOI.
The 12 articles above have been cited 95 times in the scholarly literature. Citation data via OpenAlex and Crossref, updated Jun 2026.
A sample of recent works citing this journal's research on Diarrhea, linking to each citing work.