Gastroenteritis (Stomach Flu): Symptoms, Causes, and Prevention

Jane was excitedly waiting to attend her family gathering, however, hours before the event, she felt a sudden wave of nausea, diarrhoea and cramps. She felt mild pains at first, it became severe episodes of vomiting and weakness. She knew she required medical attention but dreaded to be on hold to book an appointment. Rather than waiting for hours in the queue at the clinic, Jane accessed Cellmaflex on her mobile phone and, within minutes, booked an online appointment without ever needing to make any phone call. Little did she know she was experiencing gastroenteritis, also known as, stomach flu, a common yet often misdiagnosed condition.

Read the blog to know more about gastroenteritis, how it affects the stomach and intestines, its symptoms, causes, risk factors and how it can be prevented.

What is Gastroenteritis (Stomach Flu)?

Gastroenteritis also known as, stomach flu, is an inflammation of the stomach and intestines. It is not related to influenza, but rather usually the result of infections by viruses, bacteria, or parasites. “Gastro” refers to the stomach and “enter” means intestine, “itis” refers to inflammation, usually caused by an infection.

The condition causes painful symptoms like diarrhoea, vomiting, and abdominal cramps. Most cases of the infections are mild, but if symptoms become more serious, medical attention may be needed.

Gastroenteritis is extremely contagious. You can avoid spreading and catching it through simple hygiene measures such as washing your hands.

According to the report by Centre of Disease Control and Prevention, published in May 2024, annually on average, there are 685 million total cases of gastroenteritis worldwide. Also, there are 200 million annual cases in children under 5 years old.

How Does Gastroenteritis Affect the Stomach and Intestines?

The infection causes irritation and inflammation of the lining of the stomach and intestines. The body tries to eliminate the infectious agents by inducing vomiting and diarrhoea but, unfortunately, can rapidly lead to dehydration, especially in young children, older adults, and those whose systems that are immunocompromised.

What are the Symptoms?

Symptoms caused by gastroenteritis include:

• Diarrhoea
• Nausea, Vomiting
• Decreased appetite
• Abdominal cramps and spasms
• Fever
• Chills
• Fatigue
• Muscle aches
  
  

What is the Main Cause of Gastroenteritis?

Many different bacteria, parasites and viruses can infect your gastrointestinal system.

Infectious diseases lead to acute gastroenteritis. Infectious gastroenteritis is caused by infection in your gastrointestinal tract. These include:

• Viral infection
• Bacterial infection
• Parasitic infection
• Fungal infection
• These infections are the leading causes of acute gastroenteritis.
  
  

Viral gastroenteritis:

Viral infections lead to viral gastroenteritis. This is the most prevalent type. The viruses responsible are:

• Norovirus
• Rotavirus
• Astrovirus
• Adenovirus
• Calicivirus
• Sapovirus
  
  

Bacterial gastroenteritis:

There are different bacteria responsible for bacterial gastroenteritis. Some of the common bacterial gastrointestinal infections include:

• Salmonella
• Campylobacter
• Clostridioides difficile (C. diff)
• Escherichia coli (E. coli)
• Shigella
• Staphylococci (Staph)
  
  

Parasitic gastroenteritis:

Parasite infections give rise to parasitic gastroenteritis. The commonly occurring infections are:

• Giardiasis
• Cryptosporidiosis
• Cyclosporiasis
• Amebiasis (amoebic dysentery)
  
  

Fungal gastroenteritis:

Fungal infections cause fungal gastroenteritis. The most common fungal infections include the following:

• Candidiasis
• Aspergillosis
  
  

Risk Factors for Gastroenteritis

Certain factors can increase the likelihood of contracting gastroenteritis or developing more severe symptoms:

• Age: Young children (under 5) and older adults are more vulnerable due to weaker immune systems.
• Compromised Immune System: People with conditions like HIV/AIDS, cancer, or those on immunosuppressant medications are at higher risk.
• Living or Working in Crowded Environments: Schools, nursing homes, daycare centres, and cruise ships are hotspots for outbreaks due to close contact among individuals.
• Poor Hygiene Practices: Inadequate handwashing and unsanitary practices increase the risk of viral and bacterial infections.
• Travel to High-Risk Areas: Visiting regions with poor sanitation and unsafe drinking water raises the risk of exposure to contaminated food or water.
• Consumption of Contaminated Food or Water: Eating undercooked foods or drinking contaminated water can lead to infections.
• Close Contact with Infected Individuals: Caring for someone who is sick or sharing utensils increases the chances of catching the infection.
• Underlying Health Conditions: Patients with chronic digestive disorders like IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) or other gastrointestinal issues may experience more severe symptoms.
  
  

Understanding these risk factors helps individuals take proactive steps to prevent gastroenteritis and protect their health.

Is Gastroenteritis Infectious?

Infectious gastroenteritis is communicable. If you have an infection in your gut, it infects your stool. Infections can then be transferred from your stool to anyone that comes in contact with it.

Minute traces of stool remain on bathroom surfaces, diaper-changing areas and peoples’ hands if they don’t clean them well. These minute traces are transferred to other people that touch them, or to their food or water.

How Can the Gastroenteritis be Prevented?

Good hygiene may reduce your chance of getting stomach flu or passing it on to other people. This includes:

• Hand washing: Good hand washing is a primary defence against stomach flu viruses since hand sanitiser is not always effective. This is particularly important after using the bathroom or after changing a diaper and before touching food.
• Sanitation: Clean and disinfect any surfaces or objects you or the infected person has come into contact with. Use bleach and water with a concentration to disinfect surfaces, especially in the bathroom. Use hot temperatures in your washing machine for bed linens and clothes.
• Safe food handling: Food can become contaminated with stomach flu viruses, bacteria or other organisms. Safe food preparation helps prevent this. Those who have already been infected with stomach flu should avoid preparing food for others when possible.
  
  

How Cellmaflex Helps Patients?

Cellmaflex is an all-in-one digital healthcare hub for the patients. With Cellmaflex, patient can sign up free and easily find a suitable healthcare provider. In one click, patients can browse through the directory of the specialists they can see, check the availability of their preferred doctors, and even book appointments online without having to make any calls or waste hours in waiting rooms.

Direct results of the tests can be accessed by the patients, and they may access test results anywhere at any time. In addition, patients can locate pharmacies nearest to them through Cellmaflex. This ensures prompt availability of various medications and supplements that may aid in better management.

Cellmaflex empowers patients to take charge of their health with smooth appointment scheduling, rapid viewing of test results, and even hassle-free coordination with specialists for the required care. Cellmaflex provides patients with the support they need every step of their journey.

Gastroenteritis is considered one of the most common diseases. However, it can dramatically affect an individual’s lifestyle with symptoms such as nausea, diarrhoea, and abdominal pain. People affected would need early detection and prompt medical attention to prevent its various complications, such as dehydration. Through Cellmaflex, patients are saved from the hassle of traditional appointment systems, lines and waiting. Don’t wait for the symptoms to worsen, book your appointment now on Cellmaflex, and recover faster with the care you deserve.

Disclaimer: Please note that the information is strictly for informative purposes. It is not intended to be used in lieu of professional medical advice, inclusive of diagnosis or treatment. It is strongly advised that you seek a doctor’s medical advice on any treatment or medical condition that you learn about.