Is Appendicitis Caused by Undetermined Viral Infection or Infections?

Scientists evaluated data over a 36-year period from the [U.S.] National Hospital Discharge Survey. The diagnosis codes were screened for admissions for appendicitis, influenza, Rotavirus, and enteric infections. The seasonal variations and clustering of appendicitis cases supported the theory that appendicitis may be a viral disease, like the flu. It was possible to rule out flu and several other common infections as a direct cause of appendicitis. Several types of intestinal viruses were also ruled out.

Dr. Edward Livingston, chief of gastroenterology (GI)/endocrine surgery at UT Southwestern (Dallas, TX, USA) and colleagues published their findings in the January issue of Archives of Surgery.

"Just as the traditional appendix scar across the abdomen is fast becoming history, thanks to new single-incision surgery techniques that hide a tiny scar in the bellybutton, so too may the conventional wisdom that patients with appendicitis need to be operated on as soon as they enter the hospital," said Dr. Livingston. "Patients still need to be seen quickly by a physician, but emergency surgery is now in question."

"The peaks and valleys of appendicitis cases generally matched up over time, suggesting it is possible that these disorders share common etiologic determinates, pathogenetic mechanisms or environmental factors that similarly affect their incidence," Dr. Livingston added.

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