Viral gastroenteritis is a very common disease, especially in children under 5 years and older, the most common cause of infectious diarrhea, which can cause other symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain, and can last 7 to 7 years. 10 days.
Viral gastroenteritis usually heals at home, with rest, drinking lots of fluids and eating properly.
- Symptoms that can be caused by viral gastroenteritis include diarrhea.
- Nausea.
- Vomiting.
- Abdominal pain.
- Headache.
- Muscle aches.
- Fever.
- Chills and dehydration.
Viral gastroenteritis can be caused by rotavirus, norovirus, astrovirus and adenovirus, with rotavirus being the most common cause, which is transmitted through contaminated food and objects.
Learn about the other causes of gastroenteritis and know what to do
Transmission of the infection is by faecal-oral transmission, by contamination of water, food and objects contaminated with rotavirus, norovirus, astrovirus and adenovirus. Some of these viruses are resistant to high temperatures, up to 60 degrees Celsius and, as a result, the virus can be transmitted even through hot drinks.
It is still very common to have outbreaks in enclosed environments, such as day care centers, hospitals, schools and cruise ships, due to the proximity between people and meals they eat together. Rotavirus is the most common agent and accounts for approximately 60% of all diarrhoea events in developing countries and approximately 40% in most developed countries.
To prevent gastroenteritis, it is important to respect good personal and food hygiene, such as:
In addition, there is also a vaccine indicated to prevent rotavirus infections, which is given to children, to stimulate their immune system to produce antibodies against the most common types of rotavirus. Learn more about this vaccine.
Diagnosis involves the assessment of signs and symptoms by the doctor, who sometimes requires the search for the virus that causes diarrhea, by an immune method, by detecting viral antigens in the stool.
Treatment depends on the severity of the infection and the person’s response and is usually treated at home. One of the most important measures is to avoid dehydration by drinking serum and oral rehydration fluids, which can be prepared at home or purchased at a pharmacy. In some cases, dehydration may need to be treated in the hospital, delivering serum into the vein.
In addition, it is important to eat carefully, which should be light and easily digestible to provide the necessary nutrients, without causing vomiting or diarrhoea, and foods such as rice, cooked fruit, lean meats such as chicken breast and toast should be preferred. . and avoid foods like milk and dairy products, coffee, high-fat foods and sugar and alcohol.
In some cases, your doctor may even prescribe medications to relieve symptoms, such as Plasil or Dramin for nausea and vomiting, acetaminophen for fever, and abdominal pain.