Knowledge Center

Gastroenteritis

What is gastroenteritis?

Gastroenteritis is an inflammation of the lining of the stomach and intestines. The main symptoms include vomiting and diarrhea. It is usually not serious in healthy people, but it can sometimes lead to dehydration or cause severe symptoms.What causes gastroenteritis?

There can be many different causes of gastroenteritis:

• Viruses
• Bacteria
• Parasites
• Chemicals
• Reactions to certain medicines and food

Viral gastroenteritis is the most common type. It can be caused by many different viruses, including noroviruses and rotaviruses. Some people call viral gastroenteritis the “stomach flu.” But this name is not medically correct. It is not caused by flu viruses. The flu is a respiratory infection that affects your nose, throat and lungs.

When gastroenteritis is caused by consuming foods or drinks contaminated with viruses, bacteria, parasites, or chemicals, this is called food poisoning.

The viruses, bacteria, and parasites that cause gastroenteritis can also spread from person to person. You could be infected when you touch something that has the germs on it and then touch your eyes, mouth, or nose.What are the symptoms of gastroenteritis?

The symptoms of gastroenteritis include:

• Diarrhea
• Pain or cramping in your abdomen (belly)
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Sometimes fever

Gastroenteritis is usually not serious. But it can sometimes cause lead to dehydration or cause severe symptoms. Certain people are at higher risk for these problems. They include:

• Pregnant women
• Older adults
• People with weakened immune systems or other serious health conditions
• Infants
• Babies who were born prematurely or have other health conditions

If you or a family member are at higher risk and have symptoms of gastroenteritis, contact a health care provider right away. Even if you are not at high risk, it is possible to become dehydrated or have more serious symptoms. There are some warning signs to watch for. It’s important to contact a provider right away if you or your child have any of them:

• For adults, they include:
  • Change in mental state, such as irritability or lack of energy
  • Diarrhea lasting more than 2 days
  • High fever
  • Vomiting often
  • Six or more loose stools in a day
  • Severe pain in the abdomen (belly) or rectum
  • Stools that are black and tarry or contain blood or pus
  • Symptoms of dehydration, such as thirst, dry mouth, headache, dark-colored urine, and urinating less than normal
• For infants and children, they include:
  • Change in the child’s mental state, such as irritability or lack of energy
  • Diarrhea lasting more than a day
  • Any fever in infants
  • High fever in older children
  • Frequent loose stools
  • Vomiting often
  • Severe pain in the abdomen (belly) or rectum
  • Signs or symptoms of dehydration, such as thirst, dry mouth, urinating less than usual or no wet diapers for 3 hours or more, and no tears when crying
  • Stools that are black and tarry or contain blood or pus

How is gastroenteritis diagnosed?

To find out if you have gastroenteritis, your provider:

• Will do a physical exam
• Will ask about your symptoms
• May do tests of your stool

What are the treatments for gastroenteritis?

Usually, people with gastroenteritis get better on their own, with rest and plenty of fluids and electrolytes. Your provider may suggest that you take a probiotic. Studies suggest that some probiotics may help shorten a case of diarrhea.

People with more severe symptoms may need medicines to control nausea or vomiting. Providers may also give other medicines for certain types of gastroenteritis, such as antibiotics for some bacterial types and antiparasitic medicines for some parasitic types.Can gastroenteritis be prevented?

Gastroenteritis cannot always be prevented. But proper hand washing, cleaning surfaces that may be infected with germs, and safe food preparation may help prevent some of the infections that can cause gastroenteritis. There are vaccines for infants to protect against rotavirus infections.

NIH: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

Common Cold

What is the common cold?

The common cold is a mild infection of your upper respiratory tract (which includes your nose and throat). Colds are probably the most common illness. Adults have an average of 2-3 colds per year, and children have even more. Colds are more common in the winter and spring, but you can get them at any time.What causes the common cold?

More than 200 different viruses can cause a cold, but rhinoviruses are the most common type. The viruses that cause colds are very contagious. They can spread from person to person through the air and close personal contact. You can also get infected when you touch something that has the virus on it and then touch your eyes, mouth, or nose. For example, you could get a cold after you shake hands with someone who has a cold or touch a doorknob that has the germs on it, and then touch your face.What are the symptoms of the common cold?

The symptoms of a common cold usually include:

• Sneezing
• Stuffy nose (congestion)
• Runny nose
• Sore throat
• Coughing
• Headache

The symptoms usually start a few days after you become infected with the virus. Some symptoms can last for 10-14 days.What are the treatments for the common cold?

There is no cure for the common cold. But there are treatments that can make you feel better while you wait for the cold to go away on its own:

• Getting lots of rest.
• Drinking plenty of fluids.
• Using a clean humidifier or cool mist vaporizer.
• Gargling with warm salt water.
• Using saline nose drops or sprays.
• Taking over-the-counter pain or cold and cough medicines. But you need to be careful with certain medicines:
  • Children and teens should not take aspirin.
  • Some cold and cough medicines contain ingredients that are not recommended for children. Talk with your child’s health care provider before giving your child any cold and cough medicines.
  • Some cold and cough medicines contain pain relievers. If you also take a separate pain reliever with these medicines, you could be getting a dangerous amount of the pain reliever. Read the labels on the medicines and follow the instructions carefully. If you have questions, ask your provider or a pharmacist.

Antibiotics will not help with a cold. Antibiotics help with bacterial infections, not with viral infections such as colds.

Most people who have a cold will feel better after a week or two. However, some people who get a cold may develop other illnesses, such as bronchitis or pneumonia. This is more common in people with weakened immune systems, asthma, or other respiratory conditions. Contact your provider if you or your child have symptoms that concern you, such as:

• Trouble breathing or fast breathing
• Dehydration
• Fever that lasts longer than 4 days
• Symptoms that last more than 10 days without improvement
• Symptoms, such as fever or cough, that improve but then return or worsen
• Worsening of chronic medical conditions

Can the common cold be prevented?

There is no vaccine to protect against the common cold. But you may be able to reduce your risk of getting or spreading a cold by:

• Washing your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
• Avoiding touching your face, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.
• Avoiding close contact, such as kissing, shaking hands, and sharing cups and eating utensils, with others if you are sick or they are sick.
• Cleaning and disinfecting surfaces that you frequently touch.
• Covering coughs and sneezes with a tissue. Then throw away the tissue and wash your hands.
• Staying home when sick.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention