Which type of infectious gastroenteritis is characterized by vomiting, watery diarrhea with no fecal leukocytes or blood?

Noninvasive infectious gastroenteritis is characterized by symptoms such as vomiting and watery diarrhea that does not contain fecal leukocytes or blood. This type of gastroenteritis is typically caused by organisms that affect the intestinal lining without causing significant damage. As a result, the inflammatory response is minimal, leading to the absence of leukocytes in the stool and a lack of blood.

Common pathogens that cause noninvasive gastroenteritis include viruses such as norovirus and rotavirus, as well as certain bacteria like enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC) and Vibrio cholerae. These organisms often produce toxins that lead to an increase in intestinal fluid secretion, resulting in watery diarrhea.

In contrast, invasive gastroenteritis occurs when pathogens penetrate the intestinal mucosa, leading to inflammation, which would typically result in the presence of fecal leukocytes or blood in the stool. Other forms of gastroenteritis, such as bacterial and parasitic, can have different clinical presentations depending on the specific pathogens involved, but they are not characterized in the same manner as noninvasive gastroenteritis.