To better understand how long you can be contagious with gastro, we need to look at the various causes. Viruses are the most common causes of gastro. Rotavirus is the leading cause in infants and young children, whereas norovirus is the leading cause of gastro in adults.
There are around 1. Bacterial gastroenteritis is also common and accounts for around 1. Of those cases, 1. Other bacteria that commonly cause gastro include salmonella, shigella and campylobacter. These bacteria are often found in raw or undercooked meat, seafood, and unpasteurised milk.
Parasites such as giardia lamblia, entamoeba histolytica and cryptosporidium account for around , cases of gastro per year. Most of the time people recover from parasitic gastroenteritis without incident, but it can cause problems for people with weaker immune systems. Read more: Health Check: I feel a bit sick, should I stay home or go to work? But some warrant further investigation, particularly among returned travellers , people who have had diarrhoea for four or five days or more than one day with a fever , patients with bloody stools, those who have recently used antibiotics , and patients whose immune systems are compromised.
The most common test is the stool culture which is used to identify microbes grown from loose or unformed stools. This is especially important if your child is vomiting a lot.
Your child may refuse food when they first get gastro. When to see a doctor Babies under six months old should always be checked by a GP if they have gastro, because they are at higher risk of dehydration. Any child with gastro should see a GP if they: are vomiting and have diarrhoea, and are not drinking have a lot of diarrhoea eight to 10 watery poos, or two or three large poos per day or if the diarrhoea is not improving after 10 days vomit frequently and seem unable to keep any fluids down show signs of dehydration e.
Key points to remember Babies under six months old with gastro can become dehydrated very easily and need to be checked by a GP. Offer babies a drink every time they vomit. Keep breastfeeding. If bottle feeding, give oral rehydration solution for the first 12 hours. Give children small amounts of fluid often. Your baby or child is infectious, so regularly wash your hands thoroughly, particularly before feeding and after nappy changes.
Take your child to the doctor if they are becoming dehydrated, have bad stomach pain or you are worried. Can my child have dairy after a bout of gastro? Disclaimer This information is intended to support, not replace, discussion with your doctor or healthcare professionals.
Older children. Give small amounts of fluid often — give a few mouthfuls every 15 minutes for all children with diarrhoea or vomiting. Gastro is not usually serious, but it can lead to dehydration. Milder forms can be managed at home by drinking fluids. However, older people, young children and those with a weakened immune system are at risk of developing more serious illnesses.
Gastroenteritis symptoms usually last for 1 to 2 days, but occasionally they may persist for as long as 10 days. See a doctor immediately if your child cannot keep down a sip of liquid or has dehydration dry mouth, no urine for 6 hours or more, or lethargy.
Babies under 6 months should always be seen by a doctor if they have gastro. Adults and older children should seek medical advice if their symptoms include a fever, severe abdominal pain, blood in their diarrhoea or signs of dehydration, such as thirst and decreased urination, lethargy, dry mouth, sunken eyes or feeling faint when standing.
Use our Question Builder for general tips on what to ask your GP or specialist. Viral gastroenteritis is highly infectious and spreads through contact with contaminated hands, objects or food. It can also be spread through coughing and sneezing. A doctor can diagnose gastro after talking to and examining you. Gastro should only last for a few days and does not normally require treatment. Medication for nausea or diarrhoea can be useful for adults, but may not be safe for children. Antibiotics are rarely helpful.
The most important treatment for gastroenteritis is to drink fluids. Frequent sips are easier for young children than a large amount all at once. Keep drinking regularly even if you are vomiting.
You can also buy rehydration fluids from a pharmacy. These are the best fluids to use in cases of gastro, especially for children. Try to eat small amounts of food often if you feel nauseous.
When your appetite returns, start with bland, easy-to-digest foods, such as plain crackers, toast, bananas, rice and chicken. Avoid milk and other dairy products as well as undiluted fruit juice, soft-drinks, or sports drinks because the sugar may make the diarrhoea worse. It is fine to eat once you feel like it. If you have a baby under 6 months, they should be checked by a doctor. You're most likely to contract viral gastroenteritis when you eat or drink contaminated food or water, or if you share utensils, towels or food with someone who's infected.
Some shellfish, especially raw or undercooked oysters, also can make you sick. Although contaminated drinking water is a cause of viral diarrhea, in many cases the virus is passed through the fecal-oral route — that is, someone with a virus handles food you eat without washing his or her hands after using the toilet.
Each gastrointestinal virus has a season when it's most active. If you live in the Northern Hemisphere, for instance, you're more likely to have rotavirus or norovirus infections between October and April. The main complication of viral gastroenteritis is dehydration — a severe loss of water and essential salts and minerals. If you're healthy and drink enough to replace fluids you lose from vomiting and diarrhea, dehydration shouldn't be a problem.
Infants, older adults and people with suppressed immune systems may become severely dehydrated when they lose more fluids than they can replace. Hospitalization might be needed so that lost fluids can be replaced intravenously. Dehydration can be fatal, but rarely.
When you're traveling in other countries, you can become sick from contaminated food or water. You may be able to reduce your risk by following these tips:.
0コメント