By: Sally Plomley, ISB Health Clinic
sallyp@isb.ac.th
Over the last few weeks we have had several cases of gastroenteritis presenting to the Health Clinic. Please keep your child at home if they are unwell with gastroenteritis until they have been symptom free (without medications) for 24 hours.
What is gastroenteritis?
Gastroenteritis, commonly called ‘gastro’, is an infection or inflammation of the digestive system.
Gastroenteritis can be caused by a number of different germs including:
- viruses (for example norovirus, rotavirus, hepatitis A)
- bacteria (for example Salmonella, Campylobacter, Shigella)
- parasites (for example Giardia, Cryptosporidium).
Gastroenteritis can also be caused by toxins that some bacteria produce in food (for example Staphylococcus aureus, Clostridium perfringens).
How do you get gastroenteritis?
The germs that cause gastroenteritis can be found in food, water, soil, animals (including pet, farm and wild animals) and in humans.
You get gastroenteritis by taking in germs or their toxins through your mouth. This can be by:
- drinking or eating something contaminated with germs or toxins
- contact with microscopic amounts of faeces (poo) or vomit from an ill person. This may occur directly by close personal contact, or indirectly by touching contaminated surfaces such as taps, toilet flush buttons, toys or nappies. The germs then pass from your hands to your mouth
- handling pets and other animals
When people get gastroenteritis they often assume that the last meal they ate gave them food poisoning, but often it will be from another meal sometime within the last few days, or from contact with an infected person.
Signs and symptoms
Gastroenteritis symptoms usually begin 1 to 2 days after you have taken in the germ, but it can be as early as 1 hour and as long as 60 days.
Symptoms can include:
- nausea and/or vomiting
- diarrhea, sometimes containing blood
- stomach pain/cramps
- fever
- generally feeling unwell, including tiredness and body aches.
If you have diarrhea and/or vomiting there is a good chance you have gastroenteritis.
There are many causes of gastroenteritis, and laboratory testing of a faecal specimen is necessary to confirm what germ is causing your gastroenteritis especially with prolonged episodes.
Treatment of gastroenteritis
Treatment depends on the germ causing the gastroenteritis, but in general people with gastroenteritis should:
- Drink plenty of fluids such as plain water or oral rehydration drinks (available from pharmacies) to avoid dehydration
- Avoid anti-vomiting or anti-diarrheal medications unless these are prescribed or recommended by a doctor. Children are more likely to get side effects from anti-vomiting medications so they should be avoided
If you experience severe or prolonged symptoms you should consult a doctor.
How can gastroenteritis be prevented?
- Do not go to work or school for at least 24 hours after symptoms have finished.
- Wash and dry your hands thoroughly after going to the toilet.
- Immediately remove and wash any clothes or bedding contaminated with vomit or diarrhea using detergent and hot water.
- After an episode of diarrhea or vomiting, clean contaminated surfaces (for example benches, floors and toilets) immediately using detergent and hot water. Then disinfect surfaces using a bleach-based product diluted according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Clean carpet or soft furnishings contaminated with diarrhea or vomit immediately using detergent and hot water and then steam clean.
- Avoid contact with people who have gastroenteritis symptoms.
- Wash and dry your hands thoroughly after going to the toilet, cleaning up vomit or diarrhea, or handling animals, and before eating or drinking. If hand-washing facilities are not available use an alcohol-based gel.
- Cook foods thoroughly to a temperature of 75 °C or until meat juices run clear and are not pink.
- Keep cold food below 5 °C and hot food above 60 °C.
- Use bottled water and avoid salads, raw meats, unpasteurised dairy products and ice in drinks
- Consider vaccination against rotavirus, typhoid, cholera and Hepatitis A
ISB is committed to your child’s overall development, both educationally and health related. Should you have any questions or concerns, please contact your healthcare provider or the ISB Health Clinic (nurse@isb.ac.th).