Gastroenteritis (Stomach flu): Symptoms, Causes and medications used in Gastroenteritis

Gastroenteritis (Stomach Flu)

Size

Email this article

Print this article

1394 Views

Current Rating
		Login to rate this article

Overview..

Causes of Gastroenteritis.

Signs and Symptoms.

When to Seek Medical Care.

Complication of Gastroenteritis: Dehydration.

Diagnosis and Tests⁴.

Treatment of Gastroenteritis.

Who is at Risk?.

Prevention.

Overview of Gastroentities
Did last night’s meal at the neighborhood eatery herald a bad case of diarrhea with vomiting this morning? It’s quite likely that you have gastroenteritis.

Gastroenteritis, characterized by sudden onset of diarrhea and vomiting, is an inflammation of the lining of the stomach and the intestines (gastrointestinal tract).¹While viruses, bacteria and parasites are believed to be the cause in a majority of cases, certain food items and medications can also cause gastroenteritis.

Every year, worldwide 5–10 million people succumb to gastroenteritis,.²It is a leading cause of death among infants and children under 5 years of age.³ Viral gastroenteritis, commonly referred to as ‘Stomach Flu’, is the second most common illness in USA,¹ causing millions of cases of diarrhea each year.

Although the statistics are disturbing, one has no cause for alarm if he or she is healthy. An otherwise healthy adult will recover from the illness by drinking fluids and easing up on the diet for a few days. But for infants, the elderly, and in people with low levels of immunity, gastroenteritis can be a life-threatening illness.

Causes of Gastroenteritis
Most often, a person will develop gastroenteritis after contact with an infected person or due to ingestion of contaminated food (such as shellfish harvested from contaminated sources) or water. Unhygienic practices, like
Read more....

Signs and Symptoms of Gastroentities
Symptoms of gastroenteritis depend upon the type of organism causing the infection. The severity of the symptoms depends on the body’s resistance. Some of the common symptoms of gastroenteritis
Read more....

When to Seek Medical Care for Gastroentities
Generally, the symptoms arising from gastroenteritis range from mild–to-moderate. If the symptoms are severe and not improving with homecare, then the patient may require medical intervention. If the patient is an adult with any of the following condition, then, he or she has to visit a medical professional

Vomiting for more than 48 h.
Blood in the vomit
High fever
Abdomen starts swelling
Dehydration

Gastroenteritis can be a serious illness in children. Small children and infants can get dehydrated quickly. Consultation with a pediatrician is must if the child:

Has a high temperature
Is lethargic or irritable
Seems to be in pain
Seems dehydrated

Complication of Gastroenteritis: Dehydration
Dehydration (low water in the body) is the most serious and life-threatening complication of gastroenteritis. Prolonged vomiting and diarrhea result in the loss of fluids as well as electrolytes from the body, causing dehydration.¹⁰
Read more....

Diagnosis and Tests of GastroentitiesGastroenteritis is generally diagnosed based on the symptoms, which are highly characteristic. A history of similar symptoms in the family and neighborhood aids in the diagnosis. Some of the questions that a medical professional may ask the patient to determine the cause of the infection those are following:

How long have you had the symptoms? Long lasting symptoms may be indicators of immune disorders or a chronic inflammation, rather than gastroenteritis.
Have you recently undertaken any travel?
Have you consumed stale food?
Have you introduced something new in your diet?
Have you been taking any medication?

A stool test may be required to diagnosis the specific bacteria or parasite causing the infection. A rapid stool test can also identify rotavirus infection. Currently, there are no other tests to identify infections caused by other viruses. In cases of severe dehydration, blood electrolytes levels may be monitored to restore hydration levels.

Treatment of Gastroenteritis
Most cases of gastroenteritis are self-limiting, requiring no medication. Self-care at home may help relieve the symptoms and prevent dehydration. Follow these steps at home to recover from a bout of gastroenteritis.
Read more....

Who is at Risk?
Gastroenteritis is a great equalizer; no one is immune from the disease. However, certain categories of people are at a greater risk of contracting the illness than others.

Children and workers in daycare centers and nurseries
Students living in dormitories
Military employees
Travelers

Prevention of Gastroentities
Gastroenteritis is contagious and the best way to prevent infections from spreading is to maintain hygiene. Some steps you can take to avoid getting the infection
Read more....

Written by: Healthplus24 team
Date last updated: January 08,2009

^ Top of Page

References

Medline Plus. Gastroenteritis. Available at: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/gastroenteritis.html. Last updated on: 13 February 2008. Accessed on: 14 February 2008.
The Cleveland Clinic Health Information Center. Gastroenteritis. Available at: http://www.clevelandclinic.org/health/health-info/docs/3900/3901.asp?index=12418. Last updated on: 18 August 2005. Accessed on: 14 February 2008.
Elliott EJ. Acute gastroenteritis in children. BMJ. 2007 [cited 2007 January 6]; 334: 35–40. Available at: http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/334/7583/35?maxtoshow=&HITS=10&hits=10&RESULTFORMAT=&fulltext=gastroenteritis&searchid=1&FIRSTINDEX=0&resourcetype=HWCIT
National Digestive Disease Information Clearinghouse Viral gastroenteritis. Available at: http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/viralgastroenteritis/. Last updated on: February 2006. Accessed on: 14 February 2008.
How Noroviruses Cause Repeated Outbreaks Of 'Stomach Flu'. Science Daily, February 13, 2008. Available at: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080212085836.htm. Accessed on: 14 February 2008.
The Merck Manuals. Gastroenteritis. Last updated on: September 2007. Available at: http://www.merck.com/mmhe/sec09/ch122/ch122a.html. Accessed on: 14 February 2008.
E-medicine Gastroenteritis, Bacterial. WebMD. Available at: http://www.emedicine.com/med/topic855.htm. Last updated on: 17 August 2006. Accessed on: 14 February 2008.
Travelers’ Diarrhea. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dbmd/diseaseinfo/travelersdiarrhea_g.htm. Last updated on: 21 November 2006. Accessed on: 14 February 2008.
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Lactose Intolerance. Available at: http://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/lactose_intolerance.cfm. Last updated on: February 19, 2007. Accessed on: 14 February 2008.
Preventing dehydration from diarrhea. JAMA. 2001 [cited 2001 January 17]; 285(3): 362. Available at: http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/reprint/285/3/362.pdf
Rehydration Project. Oral Rehydration Therapy. Available at: http://rehydrate.org/ors/ort.htm. Last updated on: November 11, 2007. Accessed on: 14 February 2008.
Report Focuses On The Role Good Microbes Play In Future Medicine. Science Daily, June 10, 2006. Available at: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/06/060610225845.htm. Accessed on: 14 February 2008.
US Food and Drug Administration. FDA Approves New Vaccine to Prevent Rotavirus Gastroenteritis in Infants. FDA News, 6 February 2003. Available at: http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/news/2006/NEW01307.html. Accessed on: 14 February 2008.