Gastroenteritis

Gastroenteritis can make you very sick and requires immediate medical care in severe cases. The health care providers at Atrium Health Floyd and Harbin Clinic provide urgent and emergency care to help you safely recover.

What is gastroenteritis?

Gastroenteritis is an inflammation of your stomach and intestines. This inflammation often leads to sudden, severe diarrhea and vomiting.

Most people recover from gastroenteritis within a few days. But young children, older adults and people with weakened immune systems are at risk for serious complications, including dehydration.

Causes of gastroenteritis

Viruses are the most common cause of gastroenteritis in the U.S. These viruses spread easily from person to person through direct contact or contaminated food, water or surfaces.

When a virus causes gastroenteritis, it’s known as viral gastroenteritis or the “stomach flu.” But despite this name, the influenza (flu) virus does not cause gastroenteritis. Viruses that cause gastroenteritis include:

• Rotaviruses: These viruses are the leading cause of viral gastroenteritis among infants and young children. Symptoms can be severe and life-threatening. Rotaviruses can also affect adults, but symptoms are usually milder.
• Caliciviruses: Norovirus is the most common calicivirus, and the most common cause of viral gastroenteritis in adults. Norovirus outbreaks occur throughout the year but they are most frequent between October and April.
• Adenoviruses: There are many types of adenoviruses, but only one type causes gastroenteritis. This type primarily infects children under age 2.
• Astrovirus: This virus usually causes a milder illness than a norovirus or rotavirus infection. Astrovirus usually affects infants and children. Infections occur year-round but the virus is most active during the winter months.

Gastroenteritis can also result from:

• Bacteria, including Campylobacter, Clostridium difficile (C. diff) or Salmonella
• Chemicals, such as certain medications, alcohol or heavy metals
• Contaminated food or water that contains germs that cause gastroenteritis
• Parasites, including Cryptosporidium or Giardia

Gastroenteritis symptoms

Symptoms of gastroenteritis usually appear 12 to 48 hours after you’re exposed to a gastroenteritis-causing virus or substance. In most cases, symptoms last one to three days. The most common symptoms include:

• Abdominal cramps and pain
• Diarrhea, which may be severe and watery
• Fever or chills
• Loss of appetite
• Nausea
• Vomiting

Gastroenteritis types

There are several types of gastroenteritis, including:

• Bacterial gastroenteritis, caused by bacteria
• Chemical gastroenteritis, caused by chemicals or toxins
• Food poisoning, caused by contaminated food or drinks
• Parasitic gastroenteritis, caused by parasites
• Viral gastroenteritis, caused by a virus

Gastroenteritis diagnosis

Doctors usually diagnose gastroenteritis based on your symptoms. If your symptoms are severe or last for more than a few days, your health care provider may recommend additional tests. For example, a stool sample can test for parasites.

Gastroenteritis risk factors

Anyone can develop gastroenteritis. But people at highest risk include:

• Children, especially those who attend child care or elementary schools
• Older adults, especially those who live in an assisted living or nursing home
• People with weakened immune systems, such as those taking immunosuppressant medications or who have an HIV infection

Gastroenteritis prevention

Frequent handwashing is the best way to prevent gastroenteritis. Use soap and clean water, and scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds. If you don’t have access to soap and water, you can use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.

Always wash your hands before:

• Caring for someone who is sick
• Giving medicine to someone
• Eating
• Preparing food
• Taking medicine
• Touching your eyes, nose or mouth

Always wash your hands after:

• Blowing your nose
• Changing a diaper
• Coughing or sneezing into your hands
• Handling garbage, household or garden chemicals, or anything that could have harmful germs
• Preparing food, especially raw meat or poultry
• Touching an animal or animal food, toys, leashes or waste
• Treating wounds or caring for a sick or injured person
• Using the toilet

The rotavirus vaccine can prevent many causes of severe viral gastroenteritis in infants. Talk to your child’s health care provider about rotavirus vaccination.