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Gastroenteritis
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Gastroenteritis means inflammation of the stomach and small and large intestines. It is most commonly caused by viruses and bacteria. Gastroenteritis is often called the "stomach flu".
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Signs and Symptoms
Anyone can get gastroenteritis and most people recover without any complications. However, gastroenteritis can be serious when people are not able to drink enough fluids to replace what is lost through vomiting and diarrhea. The people most vulnerable to dehydration include infants, young children, the elderly, and people with weak immune systems.
The main symptoms of gastroenteritis are diarrhea, nausea and vomiting. Other symptoms are headache, fever, chills, and abdominal pain.
Causes
Gastroenteritis has many causes, viruses and bacteria being the most common. Viruses and bacteria are very contagious and can spread through contaminated food or water. Often in diarrhea outbreaks, no specific cause is found. Poor hygiene (especially improper hand washing) often spread the disease from person to person.
Viral gastroenteritis may last one to two days. On the other hand, bacterial cases can last for a longer period of time.See viral gastroenteritis for viral causes.
Bacteria may cause gastroenteritis directly by infecting the walls of the stomach and intestine. Also, some bacteria like Staphylococcus aureus can form a toxin that cause the symptoms. Staph is a common cause of food poisoning.
Escherichia coli is also a significant cause of gastroentitis, for example in traveler's diarrhea, one subtype of the bacteria, E. coli O157:H7 can also affect the kidney function and cause Hemolytic uremic syndrome.
Salmonella, Shigella and Campylobacter are also common causes of gastrointestinal illness. Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) is a common cause of nosocomial or hospital-associated outbreaks, especially after a person has been on antibiotics for an infection.
Parasites and protozoans are less frequently responsible for gastroenteritis. Contaminated water, including swimming pools, are common places to come in contact with these parasites. Common parasites include these:
Gastroenteritis that is not contagious to others can be caused by chemical toxins, most often found in seafood, food allergies, heavy metals, antibiotics, and other medications.
Diagnosis
In most cases, gastroenteritis is diagnosed based on the symptoms. Laboratory tests may be performed on a stool sample to test for rotavirus or to rule out bacteria or parasites as the cause. Public health labs may use advanced polymerase chain reaction tests to determine the cause of a large outbreak. No routine tests are currently available for the other types of viruses.
Treatment
Most cases of gastroenteritis resolve over time without specific treatment. Antibiotics are effective against some bacterial infections, but not viral or other causes. The primary goal of treatment is to reduce the symptoms, and prompt treatment may be needed to prevent dehydration.
Dehydration is the loss of fluids from the body. Important salts or minerals, known as electrolytes, can also be lost with the fluids. Dehydration can be caused by diarrhea, vomiting, excessive urination, excessive sweating, or by not drinking enough fluids because of nausea, difficulty swallowing, or loss of appetite.
The symptoms of dehydration are:
- Excessive thirst
- Dry mouth
- Little or no urine, or dark yellow urine
- Decreased tears
- Severe weakness or lethargy
- Dizziness or lightheadedness
Mild dehydration can be treated by drinking liquids. Severe dehydration may require intravenous fluids and hospitalization. Untreated severe dehydration can be life threatening.
Children present special concerns. Because of their smaller body size, infants and children are at greater risk for dehydration from diarrhea and vomiting. Oral rehydration solutions such as Pedialyte can replace lost fluids, minerals, and salts.
The following steps may help relieve the symptoms of gastroenteritis.
- Allowing the gastrointestinal tract to settle by not eating for a few hours.
- Sipping small amounts of clear liquids or sucking on ice chips if vomiting is still a problem.
- Giving infants and children oral rehydration solutions to replace fluids and lost electrolytes.
- Gradually reintroducing food, starting with bland, easy-to-digest food, like toast, broth, apples, bananas, and rice.
- Avoiding dairy products, caffeine, and alcohol until recovery is complete.
- Getting plenty of rest.
Prevention
Infection can be avoided by:
- Washing hands thoroughly with soap and water for 20 seconds after using the bathroom or changing diapers
- Washing hands thoroughly with soap and water for 20 seconds before eating
- Disinfecting contaminated surfaces such as counter tops and baby changing stations
- Not eating or drinking foods or liquids that might be contaminated
Chances of Developing Gastroenteritis
Gastroenteritis occurs all over the world, affecting people of every age, race and background. In developing nations, it's a leading cause of death in children.
Children in child care centers and older adults living in nursing homes are especially vulnerable.
Intestinal infections can flourish anywhere people congregate—from schools and dormitories to campgrounds and luxury cruise ships. Adults whose resistance is low—often because their immune systems are compromised by HIV, AIDS or other medical conditions—are especially at risk.
How Gastroenteritis is Spread
Gastroenteritis can be highly contagious. Viral gastroenteritis is commonly transmitted by people with unwashed hands. People can get these viruses through close contact with infected individuals by sharing their food, drink, or eating utensils, or by eating food or drinking beverages that are contaminated with the virus. Noroviruses, in particular, are typically spread to other people by contact with stool or vomit of infected people and through contaminated water or food—especially oysters from contaminated waters.
People who no longer have symptoms may still be contagious, since the virus can be found in their stool for up to two weeks after they recover from their illness. Also, people can become infected without having symptoms and they can still spread the infection.
Research
The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), through its Division of Digestive Diseases, supports basic and clinical research into gastrointestinal diseases, including epithelial cell injury in the gastrointestinal tract. New vaccines under development may decrease the risk of infection, especially among infants and young children.
External Links
- Partnership for Food Safety Education: Fight BAC!(TM) education campaign
- USDA: Food Safety Fact Sheets
- CDC:
- World Health Organization: Food Safety and Foodborne Illness
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