What is gastroenteritis?
Gastroenteritis is a viral disease characterized by inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract, which is composed of the stomach and small intestine. It is one of the most common diseases in the world.
What are the symptoms of gastroenteritis?
The main symptoms are diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain, headache, fever, chills and cramps. The most common problem with gastroenteritis is dehydration, which occurs when not enough fluids are ingested to replace those lost through vomiting and diarrhea.
The symptoms usually disappear in a few days although there are cases where they can last up to 10 days.
What are the causes of gastroenteritis?
The cause is usually found in a norovirus infection. It is spread through contaminated food or water or contact with another infected person.
Can gastroenteritis be prevented?
It can be prevented by following hygiene rules such as washing hands before eating, after going to the bathroom or after changing a baby’s diaper. It is also important to be careful if there is contact with sick people, so in hospitals it is essential to take certain measures to prevent contagion.
In addition, as infection can also occur through contaminated food and drink, all food, especially meat, fish and seafood, should be cooked thoroughly.
There are vaccines that prevent some pathogens that cause gastroenteritis and can therefore protect against the disease.
What is the treatment of gastroenteritis?
Most people recover without specific treatment, although it is advisable to eat a soft and gentle diet during the illness, in addition to saline solution, to avoid dehydration.
What specialist treats it?
This disease, if complicated, should be treated by a specialist in the Digestive Tract as soon as possible.