What Is Gastroenteritis?
Gastroenteritis is a clinical picture which results in diarrhea and vomiting as a result of inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract.
Gastroenteritis is a syndrome that occurs with diarrhea and vomiting caused by inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract.
In addition to these symptoms, abdominal pain and cramps can occur, and the most serious cases can lead to severe dehydration.
The most common cause of gastroenteritis is infectious. In this sense, the most common microorganisms are viruses in children and bacteria in adults.
Who does it affect?
Gastroenteritis is one of the most common syndromes today, and accounts for between 3 and 5 billion cases per year. This is one of the main reasons for consultation in developed countries, resulting in a very high economic cost.
It can affect any person, but the most affected group is children, especially those under the age of 5, as adults develop acquired immunity.
Developing countries have a high incidence rate of the syndrome. This is often explained by cholera, as there are many areas where hygiene is scarce and water contaminated, with a high risk of epidemics.
Causes of gastroenteritis
As mentioned above, viruses and bacteria are the main causes of the syndrome, although there are cases of gastroenteritis caused by parasites.
There is a lower percentage of non-infectious causes, such as Crohn’s disease or lactose intolerance.
Virus
- Rotavirus
- Norovirus
- Adenovirus
- Astrovirus
Rotavirus is the main infectious agent in children, also being the risk of infection very high due to the lack of immunity and poor hygiene of these.
In adults, the main cause is norovirus, especially in America.
Viruses are responsible for over 70% of infectious diarrhea in childhood, because children do not have as strong immune systems as adults.
Bacteria
- Escherichia Coli
- Campylobacter jejuni
- Salmonella
- Clostridium difficile
- Vibrio cholerae
Bacteria often cause gastroenteritis because of the contamination of food. If food is stored at room temperature, bacteria proliferate and the risk of infection increases.
Cholera is a disease caused by the Vibrio cholerae virus, transmitted through contaminated food and / or water. Cholera is a major cause of gastroenteritis, especially in countries in Africa and Asia.
The use of antibiotics sometimes also promotes the onset of gastroenteritis. One of the causes of diarrhea in the elderly and in hospital patients is infection with Clostridium difficile.
How is gastroenteritis transmitted?
Transmission can be caused by a variety of mechanisms, the most common being through physical contact with infected people, as well as through contaminated food or water.
The greatest risk of infection occurs during the rainy season or in winter, due to reduced water quality.
Transmission is also associated with poor hygiene and situations of malnutrition, which usually occur in children.
However, the causes of gastroenteritis are so diverse that it is impossible to define a single method of transmission.
Incubation time and contagion period
Symptoms of gastroenteritis usually appear 1 to 3 days after the infection is contracted.
The duration of gastroenteritis is variable, diarrhea and vomiting usually disappear between the first 3 and 8 days. However, if not treated properly, diarrhea can become chronic.
On the other hand, it should be noted that adults can develop a tolerance, so that they can be carriers of certain infectious agents and not have an infection.
In other words, individuals can continue to be affected after the symptomatic period, which involves taking precautions.
Symptoms of gastroenteritis
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea : When the cause is bacterial, blood may appear in the stool.
- Abdominal pain
- Cramps
Complications
The most common complication of gastroenteritis is dehydration caused by diarrhea. Dehydration is classified as mild (<5%), moderate (5 – 9%) and severe (> 10%).
In moderate and severe dehydration, symptoms such as sunken eyes, lack of tears and dry mouth appear, moreover, the individual is less active and the skin turgor is deficient.
Differential diagnosis
- Volvulus
- Diabetes
- Appendicitis
- Celiac disease
- Food poisoning
- Abuse of laxative intake
- Inflammatory bowel disease
The diagnosis of gastroenteritis is clinical, therefore it is necessary to exclude other pathologies.
Treatment of gastroenteritis
The treatment of gastroenteritis is mainly based on rehydration and good nutrition. It is not recommended to give drinks with sugar because they could make diarrhea worse.
Rehydration will be done with oral rehydration salts or with pure water, if the former are not available.
It is recommended to maintain the normal diet, reducing the intake of sugars and increasing the intake of probiotics.
Some cases of gastroenteritis can be treated with antiemetics, antibiotics, and antispasmodics, but these are exceptional.
Prevention and vaccination
The main preventive measures are good hygiene and the consumption of water and uncontaminated food. Washing your hands reduces the onset of gastroenteritis by up to 30%.
Currently, rotavirus vaccination programs are underway and are very effective around the world.
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