Healthbeautyidea.com – Stomach flu or gastroenteritis is a medical condition in the form of inflammation of the walls of the gastrointestinal tract, such as the intestines and stomach. This condition can cause sufferers to experience diarrhea, abdominal pain, as well as nausea and vomiting.
Most cases of gastroenteritis can resolve on their own without causing complications. However, if gastroenteritis is experienced by a baby or someone with a weak immune system, the condition can be fatal to life-threatening.
Let’s get to know the causes, symptoms, and treatment of gastroenteritis in full through the review below.
What is Gastroenteritis?
What is Gastroenteritis? Gastroenteritis is an infection in the stomach and intestines caused by certain types of viruses and bacteria. This condition is also known by the term stomach flu.
Gastroenteritis is an inflammation that occurs in the walls of the gastrointestinal tract, especially the intestines and stomach. Gastroenteritis is more often caused by viral and bacterial infections. This condition can be transmitted through direct contact with the sufferer or consumption of food that has been contaminated.
Gastroenteritis is a common digestive disorder that can be experienced by various age groups, both children and adults. However, gastroenteritis is more at risk of being experienced by a person with a weak immune system.
Cooked food that is left too long at room temperature can also be the cause of the bacterial gastroenteritis. This infection is often characterized by nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. This condition is often referred to as food poisoning.
Gastroenteritis rarely causes complications. However, this condition may be fatal or even lethal if it occurs in infants, the elderly,, and people who have problems with their immune system.
How common is gastroenteritis?
Gastroenteritis is a common condition. This disease is more common in infants, young children, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems. The best prevention is by hand washing. Discuss with your doctor for more information.
What are the signs and symptoms of gastroenteritis?
After knowing What is Gastroenteritis, then what are the signs and symptoms of gastroenteritis?
Some symptoms and signs of gastroenteritis are:
- Abdominal pain or stomach cramps.
- Diarrhea.
- Nausea and vomiting.
- Weight.
- Fever.
- Chills, or headaches.
Depending on the cause, such symptoms may occur 1-3 days after it is infected and lasts for 1-2 days, or can reach 10 days.
There may be signs and symptoms not mentioned above. When you have concerns about a certain symptom, consult it with your doctor.
Causes of Gastroenteritis.
Gastroenteritis is a condition that can be caused by bacterial, viral or parasitic infections. Infections usually spread through contaminated food or water and make contact with infected people.
Here are the causes of gastroenteritis:
Viral gastroenteritis.
In healthy people, viral infections of the gastrointestinal tract are often the cause for mild episodes of gastroenteritis. This viral infection includes Norwalk viruses, rotavirus, adenoviruses and other agents.
Bacterial gastroenteritis.
Salmonella, Shigella, Campylobacter Jejuni, E. Coli and other types of bacteria can cause gastroenteritis. They can spread through contact with infected people, drink or consume infected foods. In some cases, the disease is caused by toxins produced by bacteria that grow on foods that have been prepared or stored incorrectly.
Parasites.
Some protozoa may result in gastroenteritis, the most common is Giardia lamblia, but the Entamoeba histolytica and Cryptosporidium species are also involved. As a group, the agency covers approximately 10% of cases in children.
Giardia is more common in developing countries, but this etiology agent causes this type of disease by a certain amount almost all over the place. It is more common in people who have travelled to places with high prevalence, children in child care, men who are se**xually related to men, and in circumstances after the disaster.
Risk Factors for Gastroenteritis
Although it can be experienced by anyone, some of the people who are more at risk of developing gastroenteritis are the following:
1. Children
Children have an immune system that is not yet fully formed so they are more at risk of viral and bacterial infections that cause gastroenteritis.
2. Elderly
As we age, the body’s resistance tends to decrease. Therefore, the elderly are more at risk of becoming infected with gastroenteritis.
3. Groups of People Who Live Together
Gastroenteritis infection can be transmitted so easily that the risk will increase in groups of people living together, such as in dormitories or refugee camps.
4. People with Weak Immune System
Gastroenteritis infection is more at risk in someone who has a weak immune system due to certain conditions, such as HIV/AIDS, is undergoing chemotherapy treatment, or an autoimmune disease.
Transmission.
Transmission may occur through the consumption of contaminated water, or when a group of people use their personal objects together. In areas that have rainy and dry season, the quality of water usually deteriorates during the rainy season, and it relates to the time of the outbreak. In countries with several seasons, more infections occur in winter.
Feeding milk for infants using bottles that are not properly sterilized is the biggest cause on a global scale. The degree of transmission is also associated with poor hygiene, especially among children, in crowd housing, and in groups that have experienced poor nutrition.
After developing a tolerance to this disease, older people can become carriers of certain organisms without showing signs or symptoms, and they act as a natural reservoir of transmission.
Some agents (like Shigella) only appear in primates, while others may appear on different types of animals (such as Giardia).
Gastroenteritis Diagnosis
Diagnosis of gastroenteritis can be made through a medical interview and physical examination. If necessary, the doctor can also confirm the gastroenteritis experienced by the patient through supporting examinations, such as:
- Stool test, which is an examination procedure by taking a sample of the patient’s stool to detect the presence of viruses, bacteria, or parasites.
- Sigmoidoscopy, which is an examination procedure by inserting a small and flexible tube equipped with a camera through the anus to detect enteritis.
Treatment of Gastroenteritis
Most cases of gastroenteritis can resolve on their own without requiring special medical treatment.
To speed up the recovery process and prevent dehydration, people with gastroenteritis are advised to do self-treatment at home, such as getting enough rest and drinking more water. In addition, people with gastroenteritis are also recommended to consume food little by little so as not to aggravate nausea and vomiting.
However, if the symptoms appear severe enough, the doctor will give you infusion fluids as well as medications, such as pain relievers and nausea. The doctor may also prescribe antibiotic drugs to treat gastroenteritis caused by bacterial infections.
Prevention of Gastroenteritis
Gastroenteritis is a disease that can be prevented by maintaining personal hygiene and the surrounding environment. Here are the preventive measures for gastroenteritis that you can apply in a healthy life.
- Give rotavirus vaccination to children regularly.
- Wash hands using soap and running water after using the toilet and before eating.
- Make sure the food has been processed using clean and sterile cooking utensils.
- Avoid using personal items together, such as cutlery and towels.
- Avoid eating raw foods.
- Keep your distance from people with gastroenteritis.
One of the ways to prevent gastroenteritis is to periodically give the rotavirus vaccine to a child
Thank you very much for reading What is Gastroenteritis: Signs, Symptoms, Causes, and Transmission, hopefully useful.
