what causes watery diarrhea
Acute watery diarrhea is most commonly seen with traveler's diarrhea caused by enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC), parasite-induced diarrhea from Giardia and Cryptosporidium spp. and, in cases of food poisoning (ingestion of preformed toxins), from B. cereus and S. aureus.
Viruses (e.g., adenovirus, astrovirus, rotavirus, Norwalk virus) are the most common cause of diarrhea in the United States. The most common ones in children are rotavirus and in adults are norovirus. Escherichia coli, Clostridium difficile, and Campylobacter, Salmonella, and Shigella spp. are common bacterial causes.