Intestinal flu, or, as it is also called, stomach flu, is a common disease that affects gastrointestinal tract. The pathology received this name because the symptoms are similar to those of the flu ( elevated temperature, general weakness and other manifestations of intoxication of the body). The development of stomach flu is accompanied by symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, changes in the appearance of stool, diarrhea and others. Read more about how to treat stomach flu, and we'll talk in this article.
When intestinal flu develops, the patient feels severe weakness, because the disease is accompanied by defeat internal organs. In medicine there is another term - viral gastroenteritis (as doctors call intestinal flu). According to statistics, stomach flu ranks first among all infectious intestinal diseases. This is a relatively young disease that, just a few decades ago, doctors did not distinguish from other intestinal infections. But with the development of medicine, when rotavirus, which contributes to the development of stomach flu, was discovered in the mid-70s, this disease finally received its name.
The disease can affect the body of every person, regardless of his age or gender. But despite this, most often the symptoms of intestinal flu are diagnosed in one-year-old children. Adult patients become infected, usually while caring for infected children. If at first the disease was recorded only within the United States, now this disease can be found in almost all European countries.
Note! In children over 4 years of age, the immune system is already sufficiently developed to fight rotavirus infection. The same can be said about children adolescence who suffer from intestinal flu quite rarely, just like adults. But for children early age pathology is a serious danger.
You don't need to travel to exotic countries or eat unusual foods to catch the stomach flu. Infected water and food, poor hygiene, or dirty objects that the baby may put in his mouth can all lead to infection.
As noted earlier, the main source of the disease can be either a rotavirus carrier or an infected person. The habitat of the virus is the mucosal cells of various organs of the gastrointestinal tract. The virus itself leaves the infected body of the patient along with feces. Rotavirus is transmitted by food - this is the most common way. Viruses found on clothing or household items also enter the body. Consequently, the pathology spreads quickly in crowded places, for example, in an institute or kindergarten. The first sign of stomach flu infection is acute diarrhea that cannot be stopped.
When infected with a virus, work is disrupted digestive system, due to which failures occur in metabolic processes and diarrhea appears. The peculiarity of the disease is its rapid development, so the course of treatment is prescribed individually, taking into account various factors. As a rule, the patient is sent to the hospital.
The virus does not appear immediately after entering the body. This may take some time - from 10-12 hours to several days. But in most cases, symptoms of pathology appear in the first day after infection with rotavirus.
Stomach flu accompanied by acute symptoms, among which:
Over time, symptoms of body intoxication and dehydration are added to the first signs of pathology. The patient becomes very lethargic and weak, and the color of the urine may change. As a rule, it becomes darker. In this case, the patient’s body is in serious danger and if you do not consult a doctor in time, you may experience serious complications. If signs of intestinal flu appear in a child, then at the first suspicious symptoms you need to go to the hospital. Only a doctor will be able to determine whether it is possible to leave the child at home for the period of treatment or whether this should be done in a hospital.
There are several forms of intestinal flu:
The patient's condition at mild form diseases worsens slightly. As a rule, he complains of heaviness and discomfort in the stomach. The urge to defecate occurs up to 5 times a day. Medium form pathology accompanied by an increase in body temperature, painful sensations in the abdomen, general weakness of the body and other symptoms that appear when common cold. The patient can defecate 5 to 10 times a day, and the stool has a characteristic yellowish tint.
Severe stomach flu It occurs quite rarely in people. In this case, the body temperature can rise to 40 degrees, the patient suffers from severe pain in the abdominal area. Also noted frequent stool(10-12 times a day), which is most often foamy and watery. The skin becomes very loose, and urination becomes rare. In any case, you should immediately consult a doctor if you notice suspicious symptoms in yourself or your child. It is not recommended to self-medicate to avoid the pathology becoming severe.
The essence diagnostic examination is for the doctor to be able to distinguish bacterial gastroenteritis from viral gastroenteritis, since there is a big difference in the treatment of these pathologies. Also, an equally important goal in diagnosis is to determine rotavirus infection, since this disease can easily be mistaken for food poisoning or a cold. But if with intestinal flu the body temperature rises, then with poisoning it does not.
To identify the pathogen, the doctor may order the following tests:
Note! Before delivery laboratory tests, in particular, feces, doctors recommend not taking any medicines at least 24 hours before collection. The same applies to administering enemas, laxatives and rectal suppositories. This may affect the analysis results.
After the doctor makes a diagnosis, he will prescribe a course of therapy, which consists of stopping dehydration of the body and eliminating the symptoms of the pathology. First of all, you need to stop diarrhea and vomiting. Antidiarrheal and antiemetic medications will help with this. Since the treatment is complex, it consists of taking medications, following special diet and the use of traditional medicine. Let's consider each of these methods separately.
In the treatment of intestinal flu, different medical supplies, differing from each other in composition and properties. Which remedy is suitable in a particular case is decided by the attending physician. Below are the most common medications prescribed by doctors.
Table. Drug treatment stomach flu.
| Name of the drug, photo | Description |
|---|---|
| As active component this drug methyl silicic acid appears. Enterosgel has detoxifying properties, thanks to which it is effective in the treatment of intestinal flu. Taken internally. |
| A cleansing drug that helps cleanse the patient’s body of various toxins. The peculiarity of this drug is that when it enters the body, it is not absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract. |
| Another drug used in the treatment of stomach flu. Belongs to the group of nitrofurans and has antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties. Negatively affects gram-negative microorganisms. |
| An effective probiotic preparation, the effect of which is to increase the number of microorganisms included in the composition intestinal microflora. The drug has a complex effect on the patient’s body, which distinguishes it from other probiotic medicines. |
| A combined product containing different types of lyophilized bacteria included in the composition normal microflora intestines. The drug is used in medicine to restore and support intestinal microflora. Often used during recovery after the main course of therapy. |
Important! It is not recommended to take antibiotics when treating stomach flu. Such drugs will not only not help cope with the symptoms of the disease, but will also worsen the patient’s condition by destroying the remaining part of the intestinal microflora.
In parallel with the reception medications the patient must comply therapeutic diet. Its essence is to add the following products to the diet:
If you have intestinal flu, the patient should avoid eating the following foods:
As a rule, after 4-5 days of treatment the patient notices a significant improvement. But this does not mean that he is immediately discharged, since the duration of the “quarantine” is 14 days, during which the patient is still considered infectious.
As a complement to traditional treatment many use proven traditional medicine recipes. Below are the most effective of them.
Table. Traditional medicine recipes for intestinal flu.
| Product name, photo | Application |
|---|---|
| For cooking you will need pine buds. Pour 200 ml of boiling water over 10 g of kidneys and cook in a steam bath for 20 minutes. After this, let it sit for 1 hour. Strain the cooled product through cheesecloth and take 100 ml 2 times a day. It is advisable to take the decoction 20 minutes after eating. After a few days of treatment you will notice improvements. |
| Bee products are used in folk medicine for many years now. And this is not surprising, because they contain a lot of useful components that actively fight against various diseases. To get rid of the symptoms of intestinal flu, you need to mix 30 ml in one bowl lemon juice, 200 ml clean water and 100 ml of honey. Take the prepared product 100 ml 3 times a day. |
| For cooking herbal collection you need to mix willow bark, chamomile, linden and rose hips in equal proportions. Then pour 200 ml of boiling water 1 tbsp. l. prepared collection and leave for 15 minutes. After infusion, strain the resulting solution through cheesecloth to get rid of plant residues. Take 50 ml 2-3 times a day, preferably before meals. |
| Another recipe for a folk remedy used to treat stomach flu. Pour 300 ml of boiling water over 2 tbsp. l. black elderberry and cook for 15-20 minutes over low heat. After the product has cooled, add 1 tbsp. l. honey and mix all ingredients thoroughly. Take 500 ml of decoction after each meal. The duration of treatment is until symptoms are completely eliminated. |
| Very simple, but at the same time effective remedy from intestinal flu. To prepare fruit juice, pour 200 ml of clean cool water and 2-3 tsp. raspberry jam. Instead of raspberries, you can use jam from other berries, such as currants or strawberries. Drink fruit juice throughout the day. |
If you decide to undergo treatment folk remedies, this does not mean that from taking pharmaceutical drugs you can refuse. It was previously mentioned that therapy for intestinal flu should be comprehensive. This is the only way to quickly achieve the desired result.
It is much easier to prevent the development of intestinal flu than to treat it. Therefore, it is necessary to engage in prevention, which consists of the rules of personal hygiene, or rather, their observance. According to statistics, infection most often enters the body with dirty food. Therefore, it is important to keep your hands clean at all times, especially before eating. The same goes for dirty utensils, such as spoons, forks or plates.
Since childhood we are taught not to eat dirty fruit and vegetables, but wash them thoroughly so that germs do not enter the body. But for some reason many people forget about this rule. Be sure to wash fruits and vegetables before eating, and if possible, disinfect them with boiling water. Because the virus that causes the stomach flu is highly contagious, the sick person must be isolated so that he or she cannot infect others.
Important! If you go with friends to the river to swim, then when swimming you also need to follow some rules. Now we are not talking about safety measures, but about preventing infection, so when swimming, do not allow dirty water in the mouth.
People can get sick throughout their lives stomach flu several times, but this can be fixed. If for the first time, when infected with a virus, the patient is provided with timely and effective treatment, then the immune system will eventually develop protection against repeated infections. This will facilitate treatment in the future, and in some cases completely protect the body.
Company viral infection(rotavirus gastroenteritis or rotavirosis) is an acute intestinal infection caused by a virus of the genus.
For the first time the pathogen of this disease was discovered relatively recently - in 1973. In countries where the level of medical development leaves much to be desired, rotavirus intestinal infection is one of the causes of high child mortality.
Almost all children have been infected with rotavirus at least once. It should be noted that the probability reinfection is low, since after an illness a fairly stable immunity is developed. This infection is most dangerous for children aged from six months to 2-3 years.
We recommend reading:In more than 95% of cases, sudden watery diarrhea in children is caused by rotavirus infection.
The pathogen is stable in external environment, but quickly dies when boiled. In the human body, rotavirus dies at temperatures of 38˚ C and above.
Please note: among ordinary people this pathology known as "stomach flu", but this is a misnomer. The influenza virus affects the mucous membranes respiratory tract, and not the organs of the gastrointestinal tract.
“Intestinal flu” in children refers to the so-called “diseases of dirty hands.” The pathogen is transmitted from a sick person or a clinically healthy carrier through contact and household contact, as well as through contaminated food products (i.e., by the fecal-oral route). Even perfect adherence to hygiene rules and completely normal social and living conditions have virtually no effect on general level morbidity among children.
Important:A person can get sick at any age, but in adults the symptoms are usually erased, and many may not even be aware that they are carriers of a dangerous viral infection.
Once in the body, rotavirus actively multiplies in the cells of the mucous membranes of the gastrointestinal tract (stomach, as well as small and large intestines). Damage to the mucous membrane is manifested by its inflammation (gastroenteritis), as a result of which the digestion process is disrupted. The pathogen is excreted in the stool, starting from the very first days after the onset of the disease.
Please note: due to its high contagiousness, rotavirus often causes outbreaks of the disease in preschool institutions.
The duration of the incubation period can be from 1 to 5 days. Rotavirosis is characterized by an acute onset and, as a rule, a benign course. The first signs of rotavirus infection in children are:
Soon the patient develops acute diarrhea. Yellowish, watery stool, profuse, without blood, with a sharp sour smell. As a result severe diarrhea acute dehydration (dehydration) of the body develops, which can pose a threat to the patient’s life.
Signs of critical dehydration due to rotavirus infection include confusion or loss of consciousness, as well as seizures.
Other clinical manifestations that may be identified during examination include:
On the second day, as a rule, drowsiness occurs due to a general weakening of the body.
Clinical symptoms are observed for 4-7 days, after which clear signs rotavirus infection subside, and complete recovery occurs with the formation of a fairly stable immunity to the virus.
Mild symptoms (one-time diarrhea, slight and short-term increase in temperature) are typical for adult patients. Rotavirus is a particular threat in this case has no idea, but a person even with minor clinical manifestations is a dangerous virus carrier for others.
When the first symptoms appear, call a doctor immediately. Self-medication is dangerous.
Please note: According to statistics, over 120 million children suffer from this disease every year in the world. 2.5 million in in serious condition end up in hospitals. For almost 500 thousand, rotavirosis is fatal.
Similar symptoms may occur with such dangerous infections like cholera. While rotavirus infection can be treated on an outpatient basis (at home), a number of other intestinal infections require immediate hospitalization.
Special methods for the treatment of rotavirosis have not been developed to date. Antiviral drugs, selectively affecting the pathogen, does not exist.
In patients with rotavirus gastroenteritis, it is indicated symptomatic treatment. First of all, they need rehydration - the elimination of dehydration that develops as a result of diarrhea and vomiting. To combat dehydration and to normalize the water-electrolyte balance, it is recommended to prepare a solution of the drug Regidron for the child. The contents of 1 sachet are diluted in 1 liter of water. The baby needs to give this solution 50 ml at intervals of 1 hour. Drink in large quantities medicine should not be done, as vomiting may develop, and the effect will be completely opposite.
Please note:If you don’t have ready-made medications on hand, you can prepare a rehydration solution yourself. Per liter boiled water you need to take 1 teaspoon baking soda(sodium bicarbonate) and table salt (sodium chloride), as well as 2-4 tablespoons of sugar. The liquid should be given to the child until normal diuresis is restored (at least once every 3 hours).
Children with rotavirus infection benefit from a gentle diet. When the first symptoms appear, milk and dairy products should be excluded from the diet, since the body does not digest lactose well due to rotavirosis. Of course this recommendation does not apply to infants. For 2-3 weeks, it is recommended to give the baby breastfeeding 1-2 times a day, and for the rest of the feedings - soy or lactose-free formula.
A child in the acute phase, as a rule, has a complete lack of appetite, and you should not try to feed him against his will. In the first days of the disease it is recommended liquid porridge(water only), medium-bodied chicken broth and homemade jelly.
If the diagnosis of rotavirosis is confirmed, then to relieve cramping abdominal pain, the child should be given orally 1 ml of the antispasmodic No-Shpa (sold in pharmacy chains in 2 ml ampoules).
For hyperthermia, a child over one and a half years old is advised to take ¼ tablet of Analgin with ½ tablet of Paracetamol. To bring down the temperature you can also use rectal suppositories(candles) Cefekon. If necessary, they are placed at intervals of 2 hours.
Please note: because the pathogen dies whent = 38˚С, then it is advisable to reduce the child’s temperature only if it has risen to 39˚С or higher.
To combat intestinal disorder When treating rotavirus infection, it is recommended to use Creon or Smecta.
Inflammation of the intestinal mucosa and severe diarrhea inevitably lead to dysbiosis, which negatively affects the processes of digestion and absorption nutrients. Bactisubtil is indicated to restore normal microbiocenosis. It is given to children 1 capsule 2 times a day an hour before meals, dissolving the probiotic in water.
Against the background of rotavirus gastroenteritis, a secondary bacterial infection can develop. To prevent this complication, it is advisable to use Enteroferol (preferably) or Enterol. Single dose– 1 teaspoon, and the frequency of administration is 2 times a day (in the morning and evening hours).
If the child is constantly sleepy (and this is very typical for rotavirosis from the 2nd day from the onset of the disease), allow the child to sleep as much as he needs. At the same time, do not forget to regularly measure your temperature and drink frequently, but in small volumes.
In infants, dehydration develops rapidly. The smaller the baby's weight, the higher the danger. Dehydration can lead to loss of consciousness and even fatal outcome.
Criteria for dangerous dehydration in infants are:
Important:Remember that a sick baby may refuse a bottle of water, so this method of replenishing the lack of fluid in the body is ineffective. For an infant You should immediately call an ambulance! Doctors will immediately begin intravenous rehydration and, if necessary, transport the baby and mother to the hospital.
Vaccination is used to prevent infection, but it is 100% effective only when carried out between the ages of 1.5 weeks and 7-7.5 months.
To prevent infection of other people and the subsequent spread of rotavirus infection, the patient must be isolated until convalescence (clinical recovery) occurs. All carers of a sick child should adhere to elementary rules personal hygiene, i.e. wash your hands as often as possible hot water with soap.
When setting correct diagnosis important point remains differential diagnosis rotavirosis from diseases such as balantidiasis, lambiasis, gastrointerstitial forms of salmonellosis, dysentery, intestinal yersiniosis, escherichiosis, and cholera.
For this purpose, a stool test is taken for rotavirus; it is required primarily to exclude more dangerous diseases.
The diagnosis of rotavirus infection is considered confirmed if the pathogen is detected in the patient’s stool. To identify it, an antigen test is performed.
Important:material for analysis must be delivered to the laboratory within 24 hours after receipt.
Based on the test results, a conclusion is given about the presence or absence of antigen to rotavirus in the patient’s stool. Normally, the result should only be negative.
Pediatrician Dr. Komarovsky talks about the symptoms, methods of diagnosis, treatment and prevention of rotavirus infection in a video review:
Chumachenko Olga, pediatrician
Every day a person has to deal with different types microbes and viruses. They live in the air, on surfaces, and are transmitted through direct contact with other people. Such contact cannot be avoided. TO strong immunity is the key to being stronger than these uninvited guests in your body. Statistics show that the most frequent colds are ARVI. Less often does he have intestinal manifestations. Intestinal flu appears in so-called outbreaks. It is most often diagnosed in winter, when the likelihood of colds increases, and immune defense becomes less strong. Every person needs to know how long the intestinal flu lasts and how you can get it.
Sometimes manifestations of ARVI have an intestinal form
An acute onset of the disease and moderate or severe symptoms, as well as a combination of intestinal and catarrhal manifestations - this is what characterizes intestinal flu. Caused by a viral infection. In the process of development, it can get a bacterial complication. Comprehensive, timely, correctly selected therapy will lead to the disease receding within a few days.
How long the intestinal flu lasts depends on its course. An important role It depends on whether you have had a similar disease before. Rotavirus infection in humans promotes the development of immunity. It cannot be called persistent, but still its presence is an important plus.
In mild cases, the disease lasts about one week.
In mild cases, the disease lasts about one week. Moderate course assumes the presence of symptoms for a period of 7 to 14 days. A severe form of intestinal flu is treated in a hospital setting. Subject to medical recommendations and proper therapy the patient is discharged after approximately two weeks. If a severe infection is not treated correctly, the disease is delayed, complicated, and can leave an imprint on a person’s health for life or even lead to death. Statistics show that 3-4 people out of a hundred people who get sick end up badly.
How many days does stomach flu last without any symptoms?? Incubation period The disease can last from several hours to 5 days. At that time, the person is already sick, but does not yet know about it. The infected person does not even suspect what awaits him very soon. At strong immunity a viral infection can take hold in the human body long time. If protective functions are reduced, then after 12-16 hours you will feel the first signs of rotavirus.
As statistics show, average duration The incubation period is 2 to 3 days.
The first stage of the disease is accompanied by symptoms such as sore throat, pain when swallowing, nasal congestion, mild runny nose and sneezing. All these catarrhal symptoms resemble a cold. Therefore, a patient may well confuse rotavirus with a banal ARVI. This pattern lasts no more than one day. After this, the infected person undergoes initial symptoms, and the acute period begins.
The disease begins with a mild runny nose and sneezing
How long does intestinal flu last in children during the acute stage? The peak of symptoms occurs on days 3-7 of the disease. The children's well-being is deteriorating right before our eyes. In a person who has not previously had an intestinal infection, the signs of pathology are also clearly expressed. The patient no longer notices pain, sore throat and a feeling of nasal congestion. These symptoms are replaced by diarrhea - this is the most significant sign intestinal flu. Other symptoms may be present partially or completely, but this infection never occurs without diarrhea.
How long intestinal flu lasts in adults and children also depends on treatment. Properly prescribed therapy allows you to get better within 3-7 days. The entire recovery period is 4-5 days. At this time, the patient's condition improves every hour. First the temperature drops to normal values. After this, abdominal discomfort and nausea disappear. Next, diarrhea ends. It is not surprising that you may experience constipation for a day or two afterwards. Don't worry, your stool will return to normal in the future.
Many people wonder: Is it possible to get stomach flu again?? How did you find out? scientific research, infection cannot be ruled out. Practice shows that a person who has had a disease develops immunity. But this protection is not so strong as to completely protect yourself from rotavirus. Despite this, the secondary acquired disease is easier to tolerate. Not anymore severe symptoms illness, no vomiting and nausea. Children experience indigestion for 2-4 days, after which the condition returns to normal.
Children may develop indigestion
The situation is different for adults. Their immunity is stronger. Gastric juice in adults has increased acidity. Therefore, they can cope with the disease faster. If a patient suffered from rotavirus in childhood, then, as an adult, he may not notice it at all. new infection. Such people experience 1-2 days of bowel dysfunction without much discomfort. At the same time, they are getting better, even without following a diet. Such infected people can easily transmit intestinal flu to another person, whose symptoms will be more severe.
If intestinal flu is discovered in a team, how many people are contagious and dangerous to others? From the appearance of the very first signs, the sick person must be isolated for a period of at least 10 days. If complications arise or the infection is severe, the patient is protected from communication with healthy people for more time. If the sick person does not have pronounced symptoms or does not suspect the infection at all, then you can still get infected from him.
How contagious is stomach flu? This infectious disease very sticky. Viruses survive well at sub-zero temperatures, so you should not assume that the risk of infection decreases in winter. The pathogen can be eliminated from household items, dishes, and clothing only by boiling, disinfection, or treatment with ethanol. The virus can live in feces for up to one year.
Don't forget to wash your hands after going outside!
In large companies, people usually fall ill one at a time with a break of 1-3 days. Quarantine must be introduced from the fifth day after the last infection for up to 10 days. Required condition processing of furniture and household items is considered. There is an opinion that intestinal flu is transmitted by airborne droplets. But this version remains unreliable today. To protect yourself from infection, practice good personal hygiene:
What is important to know about a disease such as intestinal flu: is it possible to become infected again, how long does it take for the first symptoms to appear, how long does the disease last. Naturally, every person wants to recover from this illness as quickly as possible.
Don’t be lazy to see a doctor at the first signs of stomach flu
To shorten the period of illness as much as possible, it is necessary to consult a doctor at its first manifestations and get recommendations.
Follow the prescription, take the prescribed medications in accordance with the instructions, follow the regimen and diet. If possible, limit all contacts, and within a week you will feel much better.
Stomach flu is a collective concept that includes viral infection stomach walls and small intestine with the appearance of corresponding symptoms. There are quite a lot of viruses that damage the intestinal epithelium (parvovirus, enterovirus and others), but in medicine it is most often found.
Widely distributed in nature and when ingested, they cause symptoms similar to the flu: fever, weakness, headache, muscle aches, intestinal disorders.
Rotaviruses are a family of RNA viruses, Reoviridae. They got their name because of their resemblance to a wheel (in Latin, wheel is rota). The most common is rotavirus A. disease-causing in 25 million people every year, and 3% of them are fatal.
Infection occurs by contact or airborne droplets from a sick person. Infection in adults occurs both in the form of isolated cases (for example, in a family) and in the form of outbreaks (epidemics in groups). Rotavirus survives well in environment on objects, the human body, and is also resistant to temperature fluctuations.
Once in the body, rotavirus easily passes through the stomach and settles in the small intestine, where it attaches to the villi of the mucous membrane. Indirectly through endotoxin and directly, the virus causes severe damage to the intestinal villous epithelium, disrupting its barrier and transport function. The pathogenesis of the disease consists of several important points:
According to some data, rotavirus causes lactase deficiency (an enzyme that breaks down milk sugar - lactose), which persists for several weeks after the infection.
For the development of gastroenteritis, it is important not only for the virus to enter the intestines, but also for other factors. The reproduction and activity of infection are greatly influenced by:
The more risk factors present at the time of infection, the lower the concentration of the virus that can cause disease. The more weakened the body is (stress, other infections, immunodeficiencies), the more severe rotavirus gastroenteritis will be.
Children under 5-6 years of age are most susceptible to infection, which is associated with poor hygiene (unwashed fruits, dirty hands and toys, desire to chew objects and things), low activity immune system, low acidity stomach. 
Adults also suffer from rotavirus infection, but they tolerate it more easily, the symptoms and signs of dehydration are less pronounced, and recovery occurs much faster.
Incubation lasts up to 4-5 days, then signs of infection appear. IN clinical picture Intestinal flu diseases in adults have the following symptoms:
Occurs in severe cases of the disease with severe signs of general intoxication and dehydration. The most dangerous complication, leading to death, can be considered the addition of severe bacterial infection, as well as dehydration of the body, when, against the background of frequent vomiting and diarrhea, losses of water and electrolytes occur that are incompatible with life.
At running forms severe headaches, confusion, thirst, dry mucous membranes, lethargy, impairment heart rate, breathing. If you don't provide emergency assistance If the patient fails to replenish fluid, convulsions, coma and death will eventually occur.
Even with the mildest forms of rotavirus gastroenteritis, it is necessary to promptly replenish the loss of electrolytes and water!
Therapy for viral intestinal infection in adults depends, first of all, on the severity of symptoms, that is, on the severity of the manifestation.
In mild cases (low body temperature, rare diarrhea or vomiting), symptomatic treatment will be sufficient:
At proper treatment, bed rest, a gentle diet, rotavirus infection is cured in about 3-6 days. There remains strong immunity to a specific type of rotavirus. This means that if infected with another subtype, the disease may re-develop.
Antibiotics are not used to treat intestinal flu!
In case severe course infections (vomiting, diarrhea more than 5-7 times a day, high body temperature, pronounced signs intoxication and dehydration with damage to the cardiovascular or respiratory systems), elderly or debilitated patients require treatment in a hospital setting using a number of drugs administered parenterally:
With the development of more severe complications (sepsis, peritonitis, septic endocarditis, thrombophlebitis), treatment in intensive care with the use of appropriate drugs is indicated.
To treat diarrhea due to rotavirus infection, you should not take loperamide and its analogues!
Eliminating diarrhea in this case will lead to the retention of toxins and their massive entry into the bloodstream with possible development toxic shock, as well as damage to internal organs.
Prevention includes daily measures aimed at maintaining personal hygiene:
Text: Tatyana Maratova
Virology experts joke that the subjects of their research are often related to each other, like aunties from a Brazilian television series. For example, the causative agent of intestinal flu is norovirus, one of the representatives of the large family of enteroviruses and a distant relative of the polio virus.
Where did the name intestinal flu come from? In most cases, norovirus is the cause of epidemics gastrointestinal diseases all over the world. Although it is the causative agent of acute intestinal infections, the name “influenza” was given to it because outbreaks of the disease often coincide with influenza.
The incubation period of the intestinal influenza virus is up to two days. First stomach flu symptoms these are nausea, vomiting and diarrhea (diarrhea or bear sickness) several times a day, abdominal pain and, in some cases, loss taste sensitivity. Plus, as a rule, body temperature rises. All these signs of intestinal flu are complemented by symptoms of general intoxication - weakness and pale skin. After a few days, the patient’s health returns to normal, but within another month he is quite capable of infecting others. Therefore, with treatment of intestinal flu You can’t hesitate!
Stomach flu is dangerous for people of any age. But as a rule, older people and children are most susceptible to the disease. It is still unclear whether immunity to the virus appears after the disease. Some people only get the stomach flu once, while others are affected throughout their lives.
Unfortunately, the intestinal flu virus is very viable. It does not die after wet cleaning with ordinary detergents, and is also resistant to freezing and heating up to 60 degrees. The intestinal flu virus is destroyed only disinfectants with sufficient chlorine concentration.
Treatment for intestinal flu usually consists of taking activated carbon and strictly following the diet. Milk and dairy products are strictly excluded from the diet. In rare cases, it is fermented milk products that cause intestinal flu infection. Therefore, despite the fact that some fermented milk products are a source of valuable probiotics (lacto and bifidobacteria), which are extremely necessary when restoring the body after intestinal flu, it is better to exclude them from the diet for a while. There is no specific vaccine against norovirus, so treatment of intestinal flu is usually carried out depending on specific symptoms. In any case, consultation with a doctor is necessary.
In order for the treatment of intestinal flu not to disrupt your plans, you need to know about the basic measures to prevent this disease. They are simple and banal, but, oddly enough, effective: observing the rules of personal hygiene (washing hands before eating, after using the toilet and before preparing food), eating clean and thermally processed foods, as well as safe water and drinks.
