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Postinfectious irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is now a well recognized entity. Recent studies after outbreaks of bacterial infections and giardiasis have demonstrated a substantially increased risk for IBS following resolution of the acute gastrointestinal illness. Less is known about IBS subsequent to viral gastroenteritis.
To explore this issue, researchers conducted a prospective, population-based cohort study involving individuals who developed acute gastroenteritis following norovirus contamination of a municipal water supply in Italy in 2009. A self-administered questionnaire with a rating scale for 15 gastrointestinal symptoms was mailed to 348 gastroenteritis patients at 3 and 6 months after the outbreak and to 198 unaffected control…