 |
 |
 |
|
Gastroenteritis is the irritation and inflammation of the digestive tract. Gastroenteritis caused by viral infection or bacteria is easily passed from one person to another.
Eosinophilic gastroenteritis - Benign eosinophilic infiltration of the gut is a rare disorder which can occur anywhere from the esophagus to the colon, causing symptoms dependent upon the area and tissue layer of bowel involved. Gastric mucosal disease is typically associated with nausea and vomiting.
Incidence; Causes & Development; Risk Factors
All ages and both sexes may be affected yet the most severe symptoms are experienced by infants and those individuals over sixty years old.
Food poisoning, stress, excessive alcohol or tobacco use, viral infections, food allergies, improper diet, certain drugs, food consumed in foreign countries and intestinal parasites are all possible causes for this condition.
In most children, gastroenteritis symptoms are caused by rotavirus. The parents of a child infected with rotavirus often become ill as well. The rotavirus "season" is usually during October through April.
The Norwalk Virus is another possible cause of infectious gastroenteritis. This may be transmitted through contaminated water or food and is often contracted from shellfish bred in contaminated water. Infectious gastroenteritis is also contracted by eating other foods which have been stored improperly or prepared in an unclean environment.
The use of certain drugs such as aspirin, antibiotics or cortisone drugs may increase risk for this condition.
Signs & Symptoms
The most common symptoms include:The incubation period in children is about two days, followed by about three days of active vomiting, after which there are approximately 4-8 days of diarrhea. As with any ailment affecting children, a doctor should be consulted, even when symptoms are mild.
Treatment & Prevention
Severe cases of gastroenteritis can result in dehydration due to excess fluid loss. In such cases, fluid replacement is the primary factor in treatment.
Self-treatment for adults may consist of the following: - Decrease activity until vomiting and diarrhea subside
- Drink clear fluids such as ginger ale, broth, tea and gelatin for the first 24 hours or until diarrhea and vomiting stop
- Eat bland foods for the second 24 hours such as crackers, rice, eggs, soup, bread, applesauce or cooked cereal
- Do not consume spicy foods, vegetables, fruits, bran, dairy products, fried foods, candy or alcohol
- Normal diet may resume after two or three days
- Drink 8 to 12 glasses of liquid daily to prevent dehdyration through diarrhea or vomiting
- Take non-aspirin medications for aches and avoid aspirin and ibuprofen since these medications may irritate the gastrointestinal system
- Do not assume that all abdominal pain is a mild case of gastroenteritis, particularly if it is centered in the lower right abdomen, since this condition is often mistaken for other more serious ailments.
In severe cases where vomiting is prolonged, a doctor may prescribe an anti-emetic suppository or give medication by injection. Prolonged diarrhea is often treated with medications that harden stools and reduce bowel activity. As soon as bowels resume normal function, this medication is stopped.
Care should always be taken to wash the hands often, especially when preparing food and after bowel movements. Hand washing after bowel movements is important since the organism that causes this condition lives in the digestive tract.
Prognosis; Seek medical attention if
Viral gastroenteritis may last from several hours to several days and clear up without medicines, while bacterial infections can last over a week and require medication. Most cases of gastroenteritis in adults will clear up after a few days. For infants under two months of age, any symptoms of this condition should be seen as serious and a doctor should be consulted.
A doctor should also be consulted if the any of the following occur:- Symptoms persisting for more than 48 hours
- Mucus or blood in stools
- Fever over 101 degrees
- Severe abdominal or rectal pain
- Vomiting and diarrhea after being treated.
|
|
 |
|
 |
Signs, symptoms & indicators of Gastroenteritis:
KEY | | Strong or generally accepted link |
GLOSSARY
Abdomen (Abdominal)
That part of the body between the chest and the hips that contains the stomach, intestines, liver, bladder, pancreas and other organs.
Acute
An illness or symptom of sudden onset, which generally has a short duration.
Bacteria (Bacterial, Bacterium)
Microscopic germs. Some bacteria are "harmful" and can cause disease, while other "friendly" bacteria protect the body from harmful invading organisms.
Benign
Literally: innocent; not malignant. Often used to refer to cells that are not cancerous; they tend to grow slowly and don't spread (metastasize) like cancer tumors do.
Colon (Colonic)
The part of the large intestine that extends to the rectum. The colon takes the contents of the small intestine, moving them to the rectum by contracting.
Cramp (Cramping, Cramps)
A sudden, involuntary, painful muscular contraction.
Diarrhea
Excessive discharge of contents of bowel.
Enteric (Enteric-coated)
Pertaining to the small intestines. Enteric-coated: A coating that prevents a tablet or capsule from being digested until it reaches the small intestine.
Esophagus (Esophageal)
Commonly called the "food pipe", it is a narrow muscular tube, about nine and a half inches long, that begins below the tongue and ends at the stomach. It consists of an outer layer of fibrous tissue, a middle layer containing smoother muscle, and an inner membrane, which contains numerous tiny glands. It has muscular sphincters at both its upper and lower ends. The upper sphincter relaxes to allow passage of swallowed food that is then propelled down the esophagus into the stomach by the wave-like peristaltic contractions of the esophageal muscles. There is no protective mucosal layer, so problems can arise when digestive acids reflux into the esophagus from the stomach.
Gastroenteritis
Gastrointestinal tract inflammation; characterized by abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhea, vomiting; which may be caused by bacteria, parasites or a virus.
Gastrointestinal (GI, GI Tract)
Pertaining to the stomach, small and large intestines, colon, rectum, liver, pancreas, and gallbladder.
Mucus (Mucous)
The viscous, slippery substance that consists chiefly of mucin, water, cells, and inorganic salts and is secreted as a protective lubricant coating by cells and glands of the mucous membranes.
Nausea
Symptoms resulting from an inclination to vomit.
Parasite (Parasites, Parasitic, Parasitical)
An organism living in or on another organism.
Virus (Viri, Viruses)
Any of a vast group of minute structures composed of a protein coat and a core of DNA and/or RNA that reproduces in the cells of the infected host. Capable of infecting all animals and plants, causing devastating disease in immunocompromised individuals. Viruses are not affected by antibiotics, and are completely dependent upon the cells of the infected host for the ability to reproduce.
Last updated: Nov 14, 2009
|
 |
|
|
