Gastroenteritis is inflammation of the lining of the stomach and small and large intestines. Most cases are infectious, although gastroenteritis may occur after ingestion of drugs and chemical toxins (eg, metals, plant substances).

Acquisition may be foodborne, waterborne, or via person-to-person spread. In the US, an estimated 1 in 6 people contracts foodborne illness each year. Symptoms include anorexia, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal discomfort. Diagnosis is clinical or by stool culture, although polymerase chain reaction testing and immunoassays are increasingly used.

 

 

 

 

[Treatment is symptomatic, although some parasitic and some bacterial infections require specific anti-infective therapy.]

Electrolyte and fluid Therapy

Electrolyte and fluid loss is usually little more than an inconvenience to an otherwise healthy adult but can be grave for people who are very young (see Dehydration in Children), elderly, or immunocompromised or who have serious concomitant illnesses.

(How)

Worldwide, an estimated 1.5 million children die each year from infectious gastroenteritis; although high, this number represents one half to one quarter of previous mortality. Improvements in water sanitation in many parts of the world and the appropriate use of oral rehydration therapy for infants with diarrhea are likely responsible for this decrease.

 

 

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