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Gastroenteritis (Stomach Flu): Symptoms, Causes, Treatments

Gastroenteritis flu is one of the most common infectious diseases, with around one in five people suffering from the disease every year. Mostly transmitted by a virus, the Gastroenteritis infection leads to diarrhea and vomiting. Here you can find out which symptoms can still occur, how a Gastroenteritis infection develops and what you can do about it.

Stomach flu is the slang term for Gastroenteritis, an inflammation of the stomach and intestines. Young children and older people in particular are often affected by the disease because they have a weaker immune system. Young children and the elderly are more likely to get the stomach flu because they have a weaker immune systemto have. But people of all ages can be affected regularly by the infection. Gastroenteritis flu manifests itself primarily through symptoms such as severe diarrhea and vomiting. In this way, the body tries to get rid of the absorbed bacteria as quickly as possible. As a rule, drug treatment is not necessary for gastroenteritis, as the illness should subside on its own after three to six days. But with some home remedies you can improve your general well-being during this unsightly illness and support your body. We show you a few tools and explain the cause of gastroenteritis.

symptoms and course of the disease

The typical symptoms of a Gastroenteritis infection are diarrhea , vomiting, nausea , headache, cramping abdominal pain and a slight fever . Since diarrhea and vomiting often occur at the same time, the Gastroenteritis flu is also called diarrhea with vomiting. The pathogens attack the mucous membranes, which means that food can no longer be digested normally. This leads to increased water excretion in the intestines, which makes the chyme liquid and ultimately causes the symptoms.
The symptoms usually pass through the body from top to bottom, since the pathogens also pass through the digestive tract in this order. The pathogens pass through the mouth to the stomach, causing the symptoms of nausea and vomiting. This is the body’s defense mechanism to get rid of harmful invaders before they get to the intestines. However, if the pathogens still get into the intestine, they trigger acute diarrhea there. This symptom is also a defense mechanism of the body. The aim of the diarrhea is to flush the pathogens out of the body as quickly as possible. However, both vomiting and diarrhea are associated with increased fluid loss. Because of this, the Gastroenteritis flu is very exhausting in the acute phase and those affected should keep to bed rest and make sure

Causes of gastroenteritis

The most common causes of gastrointestinal infections are viruses and bacteria. In rare cases, however, food poisoning or a parasite can also be the trigger. Viral infection The most well-known viruses that lead to Gastroenteritis flu are noroviruses and, in children, rotaviruses. The pathogens usually enter the body through food or drinking water and then multiply in the small intestine. Droplet infection is also possible. The viruses are transmitted directly from one person to another. It can take between one and three days from infection to the onset of symptoms.

In the case of infection with noroviruses, the course of the disease is significantly more severe than with other pathogens. These viruses are particularly contagious and can remain infectious up to 48 hours after symptoms have subsided. In some cases, noroviruses remain in the body for weeks, which means that those who are ill can be contagious for much longer than would be the case with other viruses.
Rotaviruses, on the other hand, occur particularly in Gastroenteritis infections in children. There is now even a vaccine against the virus, which must be injected during the first six months of life .

Bacterial infection Bacterial infections
are less common than viral infections. But Salmonella and E. coli bacteria can also cause a Gastroenteritis infection. Salmonella is most commonly infected through raw animal foods such as fish, eggs and meat. E. coli bacteria, on the other hand, are part of our natural intestinal flora. However, certain strains of bacteria, such as the ETEC bacteria, can cause infections.

Food poisoning is also a bacterial disease. In this case, bacteria that contain toxic ingredients and were ingested through spoiled food are to blame for the Gastroenteritis flu. Symptoms such as diarrhea and vomiting set in after just a few hours.

Prevention and treatment of Gastroenteritis infection

In order to avoid potential sources of infection, you should consider a few things:

  • Vaccination is always a good way to protect yourself from diseases. Due to the many different types of virus, vaccination is unfortunately not universal.
  • Hygiene is the greatest weapon in the fight against infection of any kind, and Gastroenteritis infection in particular. The contagious disease spreads either via droplet or smear infection, a high level of hygiene serves as a good protection against infection. The top priority is to keep your distance from sick people. If this is not possible, it is important to avoid direct skin contact. It is also important to thoroughly disinfect your own hands before and after each contact with the patient’s hands or the toilet. Disinfectants can now be found in every drugstore and should always be available in the household.
  • In order to avoid contagion via food, it is important to prepare the food correctly. Especially with raw meat, fish and eggs, the risk of salmonella is very high and the preparation is all the more important. Salmonella even survive in your freezer and only die off at temperatures above 70 degrees Celsius. It is best to sear meat and fish for a long time to kill the bacteria. You should also wash fish and meat very well before preparation.

Gastroenteritis infections are particularly common on vacation, as there are different hygiene standards and food is often not stored so carefully.

If you got gastroenteritis despite taking precautions, it is primarily important to drink enough water to compensate for the loss of fluids and electrolytes. In addition, you should take bulking agents such as flaxseed, wheat bran and psyllium – they calm the stomach and support recovery.
However, if your symptoms do not show any improvement after 48 hours, if you have a high fever or if there is blood in your stool, you should definitely see a doctor. This can diagnose whether the symptoms are caused by a disease other than the Gastroenteritis disease and what therapy is required. If there are complications, you may need to take an antibiotic.

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Crystal Waston MD

Crystal Waston has a degree in Cross Media Production and Publishing. At vital.de she gives everyday tips and deals with topics related to women's health, sport, and nutrition.

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