Acute gastroenteritis, characterized by diarrhea or vomiting (or both) which does not last more than 14 days duration, remains one of the most common infectious diseases seen around the world, and its associated morbidity and mortality are greatest among those at the extremes of age, children and the elderly.1-4 According to the World Health Organization (WHO), it is a leading cause of mortality worldwide, accounting for millions of deaths each year in young children, mostly in developing countries.5,6 In the developed countries, gastroenteritis is a major cause for morbidity across all age groups, and is a common reason for presentation to general practice or emergency departments and for hospitalization.