Definition and research guide
This page combines a MeSH definition, publication statistics and selected research abstracts. It is a starting point for reading the literature, not a medical textbook or a systematic evidence review.
Content available: 3 complete abstracts (548 words), 9 references. Full article text is not stored or reproduced here; follow the PMID, DOI or PMC links to read the original sources and their access terms.
Definition
Inflammation of any segment of the gastrointestinal tract from esophagus to rectum. Causes of gastroenteritis are many including genetic, infection, hypersensitivity, drug effects, and cancer.
Definition: NLM Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) scope note (Public domain (U.S. National Library of Medicine); attribution requested). View the MeSH record.
Also known as: Gastroenteritides.
Where it fits in the MeSH classification
- Broader topics
- Gastrointestinal Diseases
- Narrower topics
- Appendicitis; Cholera Morbus; Colitis; Diverticular Diseases; Dysentery; Enteritis; Enterocolitis; Esophagitis; Gastritis; Inflammatory Bowel Diseases; Mucositis; Proctitis
Related concepts
Research landscape
PubMed indexes 274,688 records tagged with the MeSH heading “Gastroenteritis” (counts retrieved 2026-11-04). 56,037 of them (20.4%) were published from 2020 onward, and the busiest period so far is through 1999 with 102,828 records.
Reviews account for 37,980 records (13.8%) and meta-analyses for 3,394. Randomized controlled trials number 5,712 (2.1%) as a share of all records on the topic.
Show the data
| Period | Records |
|---|---|
| through 1999 | 102,828 |
| 2000-2009 | 45,384 |
| 2010-2019 | 70,439 |
| 2020 onward | 56,037 |
Publication-type chart data
| Type | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Reviews | 37,980 | 13.8% |
| Meta-analyses | 3,394 | 1.2% |
| Randomized controlled trials | 5,712 | 2.1% |
Method: PubMed query "Gastroenteritis"[MeSH Terms] with publication-type and date filters, retrieved 2026-11-04.
Reading the evidence in digestive system and liver
Gut and liver research ranges from laboratory studies of the microbiome to large trials of drugs and surgery. Symptoms such as pain, reflux or bowel change are reported by patients and overlap between conditions, and diet and microbiome studies are mostly observational. Check whether the study measured symptoms, tissue findings or long-term outcomes, how the diagnosis was made and how long people were followed. Nothing here replaces advice from a qualified clinician.
Evidence from open-access studies
These open-access studies come from PubMed’s best-match results for this heading (papers whose main topic it is), ranked here by citation count, with one recent addition. Each abstract is reproduced in full under its recorded open licence so that you can read the authors’ own words. They illustrate the literature; they are not a systematic summary of it. Citation counts measure attention, not reliability or clinical benefit.
| Study / authors | Year | Source label / design | Europe PMC citations | Licence / source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Multifunctional antibody responses from a primate Shigella outbreak inform vaccine design | 2026 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 1 | cc by PMID 42685149 · DOI · PMC7619511 |
| Isolated perianal fistulizing Crohn's disease in contemporary clinical practice: a multicenter ECCO-CONFER cohort study | 2026 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 1 | cc by PMID 42728024 · DOI · PMC13568819 |
| A novel Bacillus megaterium/ω-3 PUFA synbiotic attenuates colon inflammation and promotes a pro-resolving macrophage profile ex-vivo | 2026 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 1 | cc by PMID 42712478 · DOI · PMC13549866 |
Multifunctional antibody responses from a primate Shigella outbreak inform vaccine design [1]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- There is currently no approved vaccine for Shigella spp.
- Closing excerpt
- Collectively, these findings provide insights into protective and deleterious immune responses against Shigella that directly inform vaccine immunogen design.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (149 words)
There is currently no approved vaccine for Shigella spp., a leading cause of diarrhea with increasing rates of antimicrobial resistance. Shigella vaccine development is complicated in part by an incomplete understanding of the structural and molecular determinants of immunity. To address this, we isolated monoclonal antibodies against candidate Shigella vaccine antigens using samples from a Shigella flexneri outbreak in a nonhuman primate (NHP) research facility. We found that antibodies targeting the Shigella O-antigen can undergo substantial affinity maturation (>10%) to acquire broad cross-reactivity across S. flexneri serotypes. We also found that the virulence-associated type III secretion system (T3SS) proteins IpaD and IpaB elicit moderate T cell and robust antibody responses. T3SS antibodies could either inhibit or enhance bacterial virulence in vitro and differed in vivo depending on their epitope specificity. Collectively, these findings provide insights into protective and deleterious immune responses against Shigella that directly inform vaccine immunogen design.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 42685149 · DOI · PMC7619511
Isolated perianal fistulizing Crohn's disease in contemporary clinical practice: a multicenter ECCO-CONFER cohort study [2]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Background and aimsIsolated perianal fistulizing Crohn's disease (IPFCD) is an uncommon presentation of Crohn's disease with an uncertain natural history.
- Closing excerpt
- However, many patients remain free of intestinal involvement, reflecting a heterogenous disease course and highlighting the need for standardized evaluation and improved risk stratification.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (238 words)
Background and aimsIsolated perianal fistulizing Crohn's disease (IPFCD) is an uncommon presentation of Crohn's disease with an uncertain natural history. We aimed to characterize contemporary diagnostic strategies, management approaches, and long-term outcomes, including progression to luminal Crohn's disease.MethodsWe conducted a retrospective multicenter cohort study across 25 centers within the ECCO-CONFER network. Adult patients with IPFCD and no evidence of luminal Crohn's disease at baseline were included. The primary outcome was progression to luminal Crohn's disease. Secondary outcomes included clinical and radiological fistula response and patterns of medical and surgical management. Time-to-event analyses were performed using Kaplan-Meier methods.ResultsA total of 121 patients were included with a median follow-up of 76 months (IQR 46-118). Diagnostic pathways were heterogeneous, with most patients undergoing colonoscopy (91.7%) and pelvic magnetic resonance imaging (63.6%), alongside variable use of additional modalities. Management was intensive, with 76.9% receiving biologic therapies and 85.1% undergoing combined medical-surgical treatment. Complete clinical remission was achieved in 57% of patients, while radiological healing was observed in 46.4%. During follow-up, 42 (34.7%) patients developed luminal Crohn's disease. Median progression-free survival was 145.6 months, with a median time to luminal diagnosis of 110 months (IQR 40-152). No consistent predictors of progression were identified.ConclusionsApproximately one-third of patients with IPFCD developed luminal Crohn's disease over long-term follow-up, typically after several years. However, many patients remain free of intestinal involvement, reflecting a heterogenous disease course and highlighting the need for standardized evaluation and improved risk stratification.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 42728024 · DOI · PMC13568819
A novel Bacillus megaterium/ω-3 PUFA synbiotic attenuates colon inflammation and promotes a pro-resolving macrophage profile ex-vivo [3]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- IntroductionNutritional supplementation with ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids has shown potential benefits in inflammatory bowel disease, although clinical responses remain inconsistent.
- Closing excerpt
- This synbiotic approach may represent a promising nutritional adjunct for ulcerative colitis, although further in vivo and clinical investigations are required.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (161 words)
IntroductionNutritional supplementation with ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids has shown potential benefits in inflammatory bowel disease, although clinical responses remain inconsistent. This may be partly due to the limited conversion of ω-3 PUFAs into specialized pro-resolving mediators under physiological conditions.MethodsWe investigated whether fermentation of ω-3 PUFA lysine salt with Bacillus megaterium DSM 32963 enhanced its anti-inflammatory and pro-resolving activity. The resulting formulation was evaluated in ex vivo colon biopsies obtained from patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) and healthy subjects. Inflammatory cytokine expression and macrophage-associated markers were assessed using qPCR, Western blotting and immunofluorescence.ResultsThe B. megaterium/ω-3 PUFA formulation modulated the inflammatory response in ulcerative colitis biopsies, reducing the expression of selected pro-inflammatory cytokines and promoting a macrophage profile associated with resolution of inflammation.DiscussionThese findings provide preliminary evidence that microbial conversion of ω-3 PUFAs can enhance their pro-resolving activity in human colonic tissue. This synbiotic approach may represent a promising nutritional adjunct for ulcerative colitis, although further in vivo and clinical investigations are required.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 42712478 · DOI · PMC13549866
Key reviews and meta-analyses
The most cited review-type papers among PubMed’s best-match results for this heading, listed with bibliographic details only. Follow the links for the full text and access terms.
- Research article Oxidative stress-related biomarkers as promising indicators of inflammatory bowel disease activity: A systematic review and meta-analysis [4]
- Research article Comparative Efficacy of Biologics and Small Molecule in Ulcerative Colitis: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-analysis [5]
- Research article Comparative Efficacy of Advanced Therapies for Management of Moderate-to-Severe Ulcerative Colitis: 2024 American Gastroenterological Association Evidence Synthesis [6]
- Research article Cardiovascular safety of Janus kinase inhibitors in inflammatory bowel disease: a systematic review and network meta-analysis [7]
- Research article The prevalence of peri-implant mucositis and peri-implantitis based on the world workshop criteria: A systematic review and meta-analysis [8]
- Research article Proton Pump Inhibitors for Inducing and Maintaining Remission in Eosinophilic Esophagitis: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis [9]
References
- Gallant RM, Savarino P, Pulido S, Gilman MSA, Lu T, Hayes J, et al.. Multifunctional antibody responses from a primate Shigella outbreak inform vaccine design. . 2026. PMID 42685149 · DOI · PMC7619511
- Basnayake K, Subhaharan D, Drobne D, Deepak P, Samaan S, Mantia A, et al.. Isolated perianal fistulizing Crohn's disease in contemporary clinical practice: a multicenter ECCO-CONFER cohort study. . 2026. PMID 42728024 · DOI · PMC13568819
- Prete V, Picone F, Abate AC, Speckmann B, Berngruber T, Iside C, et al.. A novel Bacillus megaterium/ω-3 PUFA synbiotic attenuates colon inflammation and promotes a pro-resolving macrophage profile ex-vivo. . 2026. PMID 42712478 · DOI · PMC13549866
- Tratenšek A, Locatelli I, Grabnar I, Drobne D, Vovk T. Oxidative stress-related biomarkers as promising indicators of inflammatory bowel disease activity: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Redox Biol. 2024. PMID 39368456 · DOI · PMC11490685
- Shehab M, Alrashed F, Alsayegh A, Aldallal U, Ma C, Narula N, et al.. Comparative Efficacy of Biologics and Small Molecule in Ulcerative Colitis: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-analysis. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2025. PMID 39182898 · DOI
- Ananthakrishnan AN, Murad MH, Scott FI, Agrawal M, Haydek JP, Limketkai BN, et al.. Comparative Efficacy of Advanced Therapies for Management of Moderate-to-Severe Ulcerative Colitis: 2024 American Gastroenterological Association Evidence Synthesis. Gastroenterology. 2024. PMID 39425738 · DOI · PMC12148344
- Yang H, An T, Zhao Y, Shi X, Wang B, Zhang Q. Cardiovascular safety of Janus kinase inhibitors in inflammatory bowel disease: a systematic review and network meta-analysis. Ann Med. 2025. PMID 39838595 · DOI · PMC11755742
- Reis INRD, Huamán-Mendoza AA, Ramadan D, Honório HM, Naenni N, Romito GA, et al.. The prevalence of peri-implant mucositis and peri-implantitis based on the world workshop criteria: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J Dent. 2025. PMID 40523497 · DOI
- Lucendo AJ, Gutiérrez-Ramírez L, Tejera-Muñoz A, Molina-Infante J, Arias Á, EUREOS Guidelines Committee. Proton Pump Inhibitors for Inducing and Maintaining Remission in Eosinophilic Esophagitis: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2025. PMID 40089255 · DOI
About this article
- Sources
- NLM Medical Subject Headings (definition, synonyms); NCBI PubMed (counts, identifiers); Europe PMC (open-access abstracts and citation counts).
- Verification
- Every reference was resolved against PubMed on 2026-11-04; title, year and DOI matched.
- Review state
- automated source verified; no human expert review has been recorded yet.
- Version
- 1, last updated 2026-11-04.
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Evidence strength
EvidenceHelix's computed view of the study designs behind this topic: how common meta-analyses, randomized trials and reviews are, how recent the literature is, and a plain-language reading. It describes the design mix of the literature. It is not a quality appraisal of any study, and it is not medical advice.