How does intestinal cold happen?
stomach flu; It is an intestinal infection with watery diarrhea, abdominal cramps, nausea, vomiting and sometimes fever. Stomach flu, called viral gastroenteritis in the medical literature, is most commonly transmitted to a person through contact with an infected person or consumption of contaminated food or water. If the patient is otherwise healthy, he usually recovers without complications. But for infants, older adults, and individuals with compromised immune systems, viral gastroenteritis can be fatal. There is no effective treatment for viral gastroenteritis. Therefore, it is important to prevent the disease. In addition to avoiding contaminated food and water, frequent hand washing is the best way to prevent stomach flu.
What is stomach flu?
Viral gastroenteritis, commonly known as stomach flu or stomach flu, is a contagious intestinal infection caused by viruses. Stomach flu is caused by various viruses and usually develops after coming into contact with an infected person or consuming contaminated food or water. While the stomach flu can strike some people incredibly hard, most people recover within a few days without any complications. There is no specific treatment for this disease and the infection can usually be left on its own with supportive treatment. Home treatments can improve symptoms and are recommended for anyone thought to be sick.
What causes stomach flu?
Eating food or drinking contaminated water, or sharing utensils, towels, or food with a sick person can cause stomach flu to be contracted. A number of viruses can cause gastroenteritis, the following being the most common:
Noroviruses: Both children and adults can be affected by noroviruses, the most common cause of foodborne infections. Norovirus infection can spread rapidly within the family and among individuals in the community.
Rotaviruses: The most common cause of viral gastroenteritis in children who put their fingers or other virus-contaminated objects into their mouths. Rotavirus infection is more severe in infants and young children. Adults infected with rotavirus may not have any symptoms. Even without symptoms, these individuals can cause the disease to spread.
Some shellfish, especially raw or undercooked oysters, can cause stomach upset. Although contaminated drinking water is a cause of viral gastroenteritis, in most cases the virus is transmitted via the fecal-oral route. In other words, if an infected person touches food without washing their hands after using the toilet, it leads to the spread of the virus.
What are the symptoms of stomach flu?
Although often referred to as the stomach flu or stomach flu, viral gastroenteritis has different characteristics from the flu. The flu affects only the respiratory system, such as the nose, throat and lungs. On the other hand, in stomach flu, viruses attack the digestive system and cause symptoms such as:
- watery diarrhea
- Stomach ache
- abdominal cramps
- slight fever
- Sometimes muscle and headache
Depending on the cause, stomach flu symptoms can appear within one to three days after infection and can be mild or severe. People usually begin to experience symptoms 12-48 hours after exposure to the virus. Symptoms usually only last a day or two, but in severe cases they can sometimes last up to 10 days. Because the symptoms are similar, it’s easy to confuse viral diarrhea with diarrhea caused by bacteria such as Clostridium difficile, salmonella, and E. coli, or by parasites such as giardia. A doctor should be consulted if the following symptoms are observed:
Vomiting for more than two days
- vomiting blood
- Fluid deficiency in the body: Symptoms of fluid deficit include extreme thirst, dry mouth, dizziness, severe weakness, dark yellow urine, decreased urine output, or inability to urinate at all.
- blood in stool
- fever over 40 degrees
In children, if the following symptoms are observed, a doctor should be consulted immediately:
- fever of 38.9 °C or higher
- drowsiness or irritability
- a lot of discomfort or pain
- bloody diarrhea
- Dehydration of the body: It can be estimated by comparing the frequency of urination and the amount of fluid taken.
It is necessary to consult a doctor immediately if infants have:
- Vomiting that lasts more than a few hours
- If he hasn’t wet his diaper in six hours
- Bloody stools or severe diarrhea
- If the fontanelle has collapsed
- If you have a dry mouth or no tears when crying
- Is unusually sleepy or unresponsive
Anyone with stomach flu symptoms should not go to school or work. Thus, the spread of the disease is prevented and at the same time the recovery time of the patient is shortened.
