Have you ever had the "stomach flu?" What you probably had was gastroenteritis - not a type of flu at all. Gastroenteritis is an inflammation of the lining of the intestines caused by a virus, bacteria or parasites. Viral gastroenteritis is the second most common illness in the U.S. It spreads through contaminated food or water, and contact with an infected person. The best prevention is frequent hand washing. Symptoms of gastroenteritis include diarrhea, abdominal pain, vomiting, headache, fever and chills. Most people recover with no treatment. The most common problem with gastroenteritis is dehydration. This happens if you do not drink enough fluids to replace what you lose through vomiting and diarrhea. Dehydration is most common in babies, young children, the elderly and people with weak immune systems.

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Fitango Education
Health Topics
Viral Gastroenteritis

2. 1
Overview
Have you ever had
the "stomach flu?" What you probably had was
gastroenteritis - not a
type of flu at all. Gastroenteritis is an inflammation
of the lining of the

3. 2
Overview
intestines caused by a virus, bacteria or parasites.
Viral gastroenteritis is
the second most common illness in the U.S. It
spreads through contaminated food
or water, and contact with an infected person. The
best prevention is frequent
hand washing.

4. 3
Overview
Symptoms of
gastroenteritis include diarrhea, abdominal pain,
vomiting, headache, fever
and chills. Most people recover with no treatment.
The most common

5. 4
Overview
problem with gastroenteritis is dehydration. This
happens if you do not drink
enough fluids to replace what you lose through
vomiting and diarrhea. Dehydration
is most common in babies, young children, the
elderly and people with weak
immune systems.

6. 5
Symptoms
Symptoms most often appear within 4 to 48
hours after contact with the contaminated food or
water, and include:
-- Abdominal pain
-- Diarrhea

7. 6
Symptoms
-- Nausea and
vomiting
Other symptoms may include:
-- Chills, clammy
skin, or sweating
-- Fever

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Symptoms
-- Joint stiffness
or muscle pain
-- Poor feeding
-- Weight loss

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Diagnosis
The health care provider will look for
signs of dehydration,
including:
-- Dry or sticky
mouth

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Diagnosis
-- Lethargy or coma
(severe dehydration)
-- Low blood
pressure
-- Low or no urine

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Diagnosis
output; concentrated urine that looks dark yellow
-- Markedly sunken
soft spots (fontanelles) on the top of an infant's
head
-- No tears
-- Sunken eyes

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Diagnosis
Tests that examine stool samples may be used
to identify which virus is causing the sickness. This
is usually not needed for
viral gastroenteritis. A stool culture may be done to
find out whether diarrhea
are causing the problem.

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Treatment
The goal of treatment is to prevent
dehydration by making sure the body has enough
water and fluids. Fluids and
electrolytes (salt and minerals) that are lost
through diarrhea or vomiting must

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Treatment
be replaced by drinking extra fluids. Even if you are
able to eat, you should
still drink extra fluids between meals.
-- Older children
and adults can drink sports beverages such as
Gatorade, but these should not be

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Treatment
used for younger children. Instead, use the
electrolyte and fluid
replacement solutions or freezer pops available in
food and drug stores.
-- Do NOT use fruit
juice (including apple juice), sodas or cola (flat or
bubbly), Jell-O, or

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Treatment
broth. All of these have a lot of sugar, which makes
diarrhea worse, and they
don't replace lost minerals.
-- Drink small
amounts of fluid (2-4 oz.) every 30-60 minutes. Do
not try to force large

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Treatment
amounts of fluid at one time, which can cause
vomiting. Use a teaspoon or
syringe for an infant or small child.
-- Breast milk or formula
can be continued along with extra fluids. You do
NOT need to switch to a soy

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Treatment
formula.
Food may be offered often in small
amounts. Suggested foods include:
-- Cereals, bread,
potatoes, lean meats

19. 18
Treatment
-- Plain yogurt,
bananas, fresh apples
-- Vegetables
People with diarrhea who are unable to drink
fluids because of nausea may need intravenous
(directly into a vein) fluids.

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Treatment
This is especially true in small children.
Antibiotics do not work for viruses.
Drugs to slow down the amount of diarrhea
(anti-diarrheal medications) should not be given
without first talking with

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Treatment
your health care provider. DO NOT give these anti-
diarrheal medications to
children unless directed to do so by a health care
provider.
People taking water pills (diuretics) who
develop diarrhea may be told by their health care
provider to stop taking the

22. 21
Treatment
diuretic during the acute
episode. However, DO NOT stop taking any
prescription medicine without first
talking to your health care provider.
The risk of dehydration is greatest in

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Treatment
infants and young children, so parents should
closely monitor the number of wet
diapers changed per day when their child is sick.
You can buy medicines at the drugstore that
can help stop or slow diarrhea.

24. 23
Treatment
-- Do not use these
medicines without talking to your health care
provider if you have bloody
diarrhea, a fever, or if the diarrhea is severe.
-- Do not give these
medicines to children.

25. 24
Treatment
The illness usually runs its course in a few
days without treatment.
Children may become severely ill from
dehydration caused by diarrhea.
People with the highest risk for severe

26. 25
Treatment
gastroenteritis include young children, the elderly,
and people who have a
suppressed immune system.

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Causes
Gastroenteritis can affect one person or a
group of people who all ate the same food or
drank the same water. The germs
may get into the food you eat (called
contamination) in different ways.

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Causes
Viral gastroenteritis is a leading cause of
severe diarrhea in both adults and children. Many
types of viruses can cause
gastroenteritis. The most common ones are:
-- Norovirus

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Causes
(or Norwalk-like virus) is common among school-
age children. It may also cause
outbreaks in hospitals and on cruise ships.
-- Rotavirus
is the leading cause of severe gastroenteritis in
children. It can also

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Causes
infect adults who are exposed to children with the
virus, and people living in
nursing homes.
-- Astrovirus
-- Enteric
adenovirus

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Causes
Rotavirus causes severe gastroenteritis in
infants and young children. Severe dehydration
and death can occur in this age group. Call your
health care provider if
diarrhea lasts for more than several days or if
dehydration occurs. You

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Causes
should also contact your health care provider if
you or your child
has these symptoms:
-- Blood in the
stool
-- Confusion

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Causes
-- Dizziness
-- Dry mouth
-- Feeling faint
-- Nausea
-- No tears when
crying

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Causes
-- No urine for 8 hours or more
-- Sunken appearance
to the eyes
-- Sunken soft spot
on an infant's head (fontanelle)

35. 34
Prevention
Most viruses and bacteria are passed
from person to person by unwashed hands. The
best way to prevent viral
gastroenteritis is to handle food properly and wash
your hands thoroughly after

36. 35
Prevention
using the toilet.
Vaccination to prevent severe rotavirus
infection is recommended for infants starting at
age 2 months.