GASTROENTERITIS (STOMACH FLU)
Gastroenteritis is an infection or inflammation of the lining of the stomach and intestine that may be caused by viruses, contaminated foods or medications, although some diseases can also cause a similar symptomatic condition.
Causes
Gastroenteritis can be produced by three types of microorganisms: viruses, parasites and bacteria. These organisms which are present in the feces of an infected can contaminate food and beverages as well as other objects (cutlery, plates and other utensils), and transmitted when a person comes into contact with them. They can also be transmitted from one person to another by direct contact. The most vulnerable groups of risk to this disease are children, the elderly and people with weak immune systems.
The most common viruses that cause gastroenteritis are:
Rotavirus: The rotavirus is the leading cause of acute gastroenteritis in children, but can also infect adults.
Norovirus: It affects people of all ages, but its infection is very common among school-age children.
Enteric Adenovirus: Enteric adenovirus: Adenoviruses are the cause of many cases of gastroenteritis in young children and represent the second most common viral agent causing diarrhea after rotavirus.
Astrovirus: They are recognized as one of the most common viral agents of childhood gastroenteritis worldwide. They were initially associated with outbreaks of diarrhea in children in maternity units.
Symptoms
It is characterized by abdominal pain, vomiting, nausea, diarrhea and sometimes, fever and headache. When the symptoms are severe, the patient should be admitted, but usually is not necessary.
Prevention
Experts recommend taking precautions with products made sauces containing eggs. This food may have salmonella, which reproduces quickly if it takes a long time from the time of processing to its consumption. This is what often happens in banquets or celebrations in which many people participate. Foods are prepared with time and may be cases of bulky intoxications. This same phenomenon occurs with fish and shellfish that are eaten raw.
We must also be careful with the ice cream sold in street kiosks and prepared by hand, because sometimes there is no guarantee that they are in good condition. Many of them are made with milk and this food also spoils more easily in summer.
A large part of summer gastroenteritis, the quintessential period of the disease, are due to the ingestion of untreated water. When traveling to places where water extracted from wells or sources is drunk, it is recommended that the water used to drink or clean food that is not going to be cooked be boiled or sterilized with bleach (one drop of bleach per liter of water)».
Diagnosis
To diagnose the possible presence and type of virus that may be causing gastroenteritis, a stool test is performed, although this is not usually the case. While this pathology is not fatal by itself, the dehydration that produces, otherwise if the person does not drink enough fluid, this can cause death; this is why the specialist will usually look for signs of dehydration, such as:
- Dry mouth.
- Dark yellow urine.
- Hollow eyes.