Is acute gastroenteritis contagious?

Written by Zhu Dan Hua
Gastroenterology
Updated on November 08, 2024
00:00
00:00

Acute gastroenteritis is generally considered a self-limiting disease that is not contagious. The course of the disease is about a week, after which patients will gradually recover. Most patients with acute gastroenteritis have a history of unhygienic dietary practices, and the condition is caused by viral or bacterial infections. From a symptomatic perspective, the most obvious reasons for seeking medical advice are abdominal discomfort or abnormal stools. Abdominal discomfort can manifest as abdominal pain and bloating, with paroxysmal colic being relatively common in clinical practice. Of course, some patients also experience nausea and vomiting, with the vomit consisting of gastric contents and not accompanied by hematemesis, among other symptoms. Abnormal stools are often characterized by diarrhea, typically with an increased frequency of bowel movements, watery in nature, and possibly accompanied by bloody stools. The treatment of acute gastroenteritis generally focuses on symptomatic relief, including the consumption of easily digestible and clean foods. Treatment may include the use of gastroprotective agents, antispasmodics, and modifiers of the intestinal flora. Of course, if the patient has significant diarrhea, antidiarrheal medications may be added for symptomatic treatment.

Other Voices

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Zhu Dan Hua
Gastroenterology
1min 6sec home-news-image

Is acute gastroenteritis a stomach disease?

Acute gastroenteritis is generally considered an infectious disease, not merely a stomach ailment. Clinically, acute gastroenteritis is commonly thought to be caused by viruses or bacteria, especially due to insufficient hygiene. The typical clinical manifestations include abdominal pain, bloating, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, etc. Of course, some patients may also experience fever. Diarrhea and vomiting are the most common symptoms observed clinically, with vomiting generally involving stomach contents without blood. Diarrhea is characterized by an increased frequency of bowel movements, with stools being loose and watery, particularly frequent at night, making the symptoms of diarrhea especially prominent in patients seeking medical attention. Treatment for patients generally focuses on symptomatic relief, although in cases of recurrent fever, the cautious use of antibiotics may be considered. (Please use medications under the guidance of a professional physician.)

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Jiang Guo Ming
Gastroenterology
48sec home-news-image

What are the symptoms of acute gastroenteritis?

Acute gastroenteritis is one of the common diseases in gastroenterology, especially prevalent in the summer and autumn seasons. It is usually caused by exposure to cold or contaminated food. The main symptoms include abdominal pain, vomiting, and diarrhea. Depending on the cause, symptoms can vary; for instance, a viral infection causing gastroenteric flu often accompanies symptoms such as dizziness, headache, fatigue, body aches, sore throat, or fever. Infections caused by contaminated food often lead to abdominal pain and diarrhea, with stools frequently appearing mucous or containing blood and pus. Lab tests often show an elevated white blood cell count.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Jiang Guo Ming
Gastroenterology
53sec home-news-image

What to do about dehydration from acute gastroenteritis?

The main symptoms of acute gastroenteritis should include paroxysmal abdominal pain, diarrhea, vomiting, bloating, and sometimes may be accompanied by fever, chills, and sore limbs, which are indicative of viral infection symptoms. If acute gastroenteritis leads to severe vomiting and diarrhea, combined with the inability to eat normally, dehydration symptoms are likely to occur, such as increased fatigue, dizziness, dry skin, and reduced urine output. In such cases, it is necessary to go to the hospital for treatment. Through relevant examinations, it can be clarified whether the condition is viral gastroenteritis or bacterial enteritis, to administer targeted treatments, such as anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and electrolyte replenishment treatments, so as to avoid further aggravation.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Jiang Guo Ming
Gastroenterology
52sec home-news-image

What should I do about acute gastroenteritis?

Acute gastroenteritis typically presents with symptoms such as abdominal pain, diarrhea, and vomiting, and sometimes accompanied by fever and chills. In such cases, it is important to rest, keep warm, avoid cold, and follow a diet that is light and easy to digest, such as rice porridge, soft noodles, etc. It is advisable to avoid raw, greasy, spicy, and alcoholic foods. Treatment should be based on the specific cause. For viral infections causing gastroenteric flu, antiviral and antidiarrheal astringents are commonly used. For bacterial infections causing infectious diarrhea, antibacterial and antidiarrheal treatments are needed, typically involving cephalosporins or quinolones. Generally, symptoms will gradually ease.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Zhang Peng
General Surgery
30sec home-news-image

What foods are good for acute gastroenteritis?

For patients with acute gastroenteritis, it is mainly important to prevent very strong irritation to the entire mucosa of the digestive tract, otherwise symptoms such as abdominal pain and diarrhea may occur. For patients with acute gastroenteritis, in terms of diet, it is mainly important not to consume spicy and stimulating foods, to eat easily digestible foods as much as possible, and not to eat too much coarse dietary fiber, as this may be beneficial for alleviating the disease.