What Are The Symptoms Of Stomach Infection

What Causes Intestinal Infections

Intestinal infection may be caused by a virus, bacteria, or parasites.

• Virus: Viral gastroenteritis or stomach flu is one of the most common causes of intestinal infections. It can easily spread from an infected person when sharing food or beverages, even if the infected person does not have symptoms. Common causes of viral gastroenteritis include:
• Astrovirus
• Sapovirus

What Causes H Pylori Infections

Its still not known exactly how H. pylori infections spread. The bacteria has coexisted with humans for many thousands of years. The infections are thought to spread from one persons mouth to another, like by kissing.

The bacteria may also be transferred through contact with vomit or stool. This can happen when a person does not wash their hands thoroughly after using the bathroom. H. pylori can also spread through contact with contaminated water or food.

Home Remedies For Mild Cases

If you have a milder case, you may be able to treat your illness at home. Try the following:

• Drink fluids regularly throughout the day, especially after bouts of diarrhea.
• Eat little and often, and include some salty foods.
• Consume foods or drinks with potassium, such as fruit juice and bananas.

A few ingredients you may have at home can help keep your electrolytes balanced and treat diarrhea. Avoid eating dairy, fruit, or high fiber foods to keep diarrhea from getting worse.

Over-the-counter medications that neutralize your stomach acid can help. Medications that treat symptoms like diarrhea, nausea, and abdominal pain can help ease the stress and pain of the infection.

However, do not take OTC treatments unless your doctor tells you to do so. Go to the hospital if you cant keep any fluids down.

Many bacteria can cause gastroenteritis, including:

• Yersinia, found in pork
• Staphylococcus, found in dairy products, meat, and eggs
• Shigella, found in water and often swimming pools
• Salmonella, found in meat, dairy products, and eggs
• Campylobacter, found in meat and poultry
• E. coli, found in ground beef and salads

Bacterial gastroenteritis outbreaks can happen when restaurants serve contaminated food to many people. An outbreak can also trigger recalls of produce and other foods.

Bacteria that cause gastroenteritis can be easily transmitted from person to person if someone carries the bacteria on their hands.

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Home Remedies For Stomach Bacterial Infection

• 20-07-2018

Stomach Bacterial Infection is also known as bacterial gastroenteritis, during which the bacteria infects your gut. This can cause inflammation in the intestines and the stomach. Few many experience symptoms like diarrhea, cramps in the abdomen and vomiting. While there are a number of home remedies for stomach bacterial infection, it is always recommended to visit your doctor to check its severity.

Bacterial gastroenteritis is often referred to âFood Poisoningâ as well and this can occur due to lack of hygiene, or due to contact with animals, contaminated food or water. Some of the common symptoms of bacterial gastroenteritis are nausea or vomiting, loss of appetite, pain or cramps in the abdomen and fever.

Symptoms Of Bacterial Infection In Stomach

Most people suffer from stomach problems, like indigestion and constipation, which are common types of digestive diseases. Stomach problems can be caused by a number of factors, but bacterial infections seem to be one of the most common stomach ailments. Infections in the stomach will cause pain or tenderness in the upper abdominal area or right below your breastbone. Many people often confuse bacteria with viral infections because both have similar symptoms. However, there is a simple way to tell if you have contracted a bacterial infection: it hurts when you press on your abdomen and causes a fever.

Bacterial Infection In the Stomach The most common symptoms of gastrointestinal infection are abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. An infectious disease is an illness that results from the presence of pathogenic microorganisms or other infectious agents in an individual host organism. It can also refer to a syndrome caused by an infectious agent. A germ is a small infectious agent that causes diseases such as acute respiratory infections, foodborne illness, some forms of cancer. Some germs manage to cause disease even though they do not live inside their hosts these are called prions.

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How Do You Treat An Intestinal Infection

Treatment of an intestinal infection mainly depends on the cause and severity of symptoms. General treatment measures may include:

• Plenty of fluids, such as an oral rehydration solution, water, and clear soups. Fluids must be taken in sips and small amounts at a time. Larger quantities may provoke vomiting. Breast milk or formula milk may be given to babies.
• Adequate rest may help speed up recovery.
• Antibiotics may be prescribed in case of bacterial gastroenteritis.
• Eat small, bland meals, such as bananas, applesauce, crackers, toast, or rice.
• Avoid sugary drinks or concentrated juices, dairy, fatty or spicy foods, alcohol, nicotine, and caffeine, as these can worsen the symptoms.

Is The Stomach Flu Worse In Some People

In general, most people recover quickly from the stomach flu. Symptoms can be worse in babies, young children, older adults or anyone of any age that is immune-compromised. Vomiting and diarrhea can cause dehydration within just a short period of time, depending on the circumstances. Signs of dehydration include:

• Extreme thirst.
• General weakness.

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Symptoms Of Bacterial Gastroenteritis

Signs and symptoms of bacterial gastroenteritis include:

• Diarrhea
• Feeling of weakness
• In severe cases, blood in the stool

Symptoms may be mild or more severe, and vary depending on the type of bacteria. If you think that you might have stomach flu, you can try using the Ada app to find out more about your symptoms.

If symptoms are severe or do not improve within 2-3 days, it is important to contact a doctor without delay. Furthermore, medical attention should be sought immediately if:

• There are any indications of severe dehydration, such as passing little to no urine or dizziness that does not go away
• There is blood, pus or a black color in the diarrhea
• There is constant vomiting that makes it impossible to keep down fluids
• There is very intense abdominal pain
• There is a fever over 38 degrees Celsius , in adults or children

In addition, a doctor should be contacted urgently if the affected person:

• Is pregnant

• Staphylococcus
• Clostridium difficile

In some cases, the bacteria may be transmitted directly from one person to another, but they are typically spread through contaminated food and water. Sources of bacterial stomach bugs include:

• Unhygienic food preparation, e.g. a cook not washing their hands after going to the toilet, or using the same cutting boards for both meat and salads
• Raw or undercooked meat, eggs and fish
• Unpasteurized dairy and juices

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Getting Medical Advice For Your Child

You don’t usually need to see your GP if you think your child has gastroenteritis, as it should get better on its own, and taking them to a GP surgery can put others at risk.

Phone the 111 service or your GP if you’re concerned about your child, or they:

• have symptoms of dehydration, such as passing less urine than normal, being unusually irritable or unresponsive, pale or mottled skin, or cold hands and feet
• have blood in their poo or green vomit
• are vomiting constantly and are unable to keep down any fluids or feeds
• have had diarrhoea for more than a week
• have been vomiting for three days or more
• have signs of a more serious illness, such as a high fever , shortness of breath, rapid breathing, a stiff neck, a rash that doesn’t fade when you roll a glass over it or a bulging fontanelle
• have a serious underlying condition, such as inflammatory bowel disease or a weak immune system, and have diarrhoea and vomiting

Your GP may suggest sending off a sample of your child’s poo to a laboratory to confirm what’s causing their symptoms. Antibiotics may be prescribed if this shows they have a bacterial infection.

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Can I Prevent Gastroenteritis

The best way to prevent bacterial gastroenteritis is to practice good hygiene.

• Wash your hands thoroughly while handling or preparing food.
• Dont leave food out too long when youre serving it. Throw it out if theres any chance it has gone bad.
• If you learn of an outbreak of tainted food or drink through a news report, avoid consuming those items.
• Limit contact with others who have symptoms such as vomiting and/or diarrhea.
• Avoid eating undercooked food.
• Use alcohol-based hand sanitizers.

Are The Stomach Flu And Food Poisoning The Same Condition

Although the stomach flu and food poisoning share some common symptoms such as diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, stomach cramps, muscle aches, for example, they are not exactly the same condition.

• Stomach flu or gastroenteritis means any nonspecific inflammatory problem in the gastrointestinal tract some doctors consider the stomach flu to be more narrowly defined as a viral infection that attacks the digestive system.
• Food poisoning specifically is caused by eating or drinking contaminated food or fluid that contains bacteria, viruses, parasites and/or their toxins they produce.

Consequently, there is some crossover between the two terms.

In addition:

• Food poisoning usually is found in small outbreaks that occur among individuals that have ingested the same foods or drink, and symptoms occur rapidly within hours whereas the stomach flu has a more gradual onset of symptoms and usually lasts longer than food poisoning.
• Stomach flu is highly contagious and can be spread quickly to other individuals whereas food poisoning usually requires ingesting the poison and does not easily spread to other individuals.

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When Should I Call The Doctor

• cant drink for several hours
• is peeing less often
• has signs of dehydration, such as crying with few or no tears, having a dry mouth or cracked lips, feeling dizzy or lightheaded, acting very sleepy or less alert
• has a high fever
• has blood in their poop or vomit
• is vomiting for more than 24 hours or the diarrhea doesnt get better after several days

What Foods Are Recommended To Eat When You Have The Stomach Flu

Some health care professionals suggest a special diet for the gastroenteritis, especially for viral and/or bacterial infections in children. First and foremost is adequate fluid rehydration to prevent dehydration.

The diet frequently suggested is termed the “BRAT” diet. This diet consists of foods that are not usually irritating but soothing for the gastrointestinal tract. The BRAT diet stands for bananas, rice, applesauce and toast. Although some doctors think this diet may not markedly benefit patients, others recommend it for both adults and children for a day or two to make the transition from the resolving symptoms of acute gastroenteritis to the patient’s previously normal diet.

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Symptoms Of A Fungal Stomach Infection

Yeast is a naturally-occurring fungus that is found in the mouth, intestines, and the genital region. The presence of beneficial bacteria in our body helps in controlling the population of this fungi. Prolonged use of antibiotics can disrupt the necessary balance of beneficial bacteria. This gives rise to growth of this fungi, which in turn, leads to yeast infections. Stomach or intestinal yeast infections are most likely to occur, when the immune system is compromised. Excessive intake of sugar is also a risk factor. The common symptoms of this infection include:

• Abdominal pain
• Mucus in stool

What Causes Gastroenteritis

There are many ways gastroenteritis can be spread:

• Contact with someone who has the virus
• Contaminated food or water
• Unwashed hands after going to the bathroom or changing a diaper

The most common cause of gastroenteritis is a virus. The main types are rotavirus and norovirus.

Rotavirus is the world’s most common cause of diarrhea in infants and young children. Norovirus is the most common cause of serious gastroenteritis and also foodborne disease outbreaks in the U.S.

Although not as common, bacteria such as E. coli and salmonella can also trigger the stomach flu. Salmonella and campylobacter bacteria are the most common bacterial causes of gastroenteritis in the U.S. and are usually spread by undercooked poultry, eggs, or poultry juices. Salmonella can also be spread through pet reptiles or live poultry.

Another bacteria, shigella, is often passed around in day care centers. It typically is spread from person to person, and common sources of infection are contaminated food and drinking water.

Parasites can also cause gastroenteritis, but it’s not common. You can pick up organisms such as giardia and cryptosporidium in contaminated swimming pools or by drinking contaminated water.

There are also other unusual ways to get gastroenteritis:

• Heavy metals in drinking water
• Eating a lot of acidic foods, like citrus fruit and tomatoes
• Toxins that might be found in certain seafood
• Medications such as antibiotics, antacids, laxatives, and chemotherapy drugs

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Stomach Flu And Children

Children can get dehydrated quickly, so if your child has the stomach flu, it’s important that you look for signs that they are very thirsty or has dry skin or a dry mouth. If you have a baby, look for fewer, drier diapers.

Keep children with gastroenteritis out of day care or school until all symptoms are gone. Check with your doctor before giving your child any medicine. Drugs used to control diarrhea and vomiting aren’t usually given to children younger than 5.

To help prevent rotavirus — the most common cause of stomach flu for children — there are two vaccines that can be given to infants. Talk to your doctor about the vaccines.

When Should I Call My Healthcare Provider

Viral gastroenteritis is common in children and adults. In most cases, the disease is not serious and will run its course in a few days. Call your healthcare provider if you or a family member has vomiting or diarrhea thats not getting better, if you see blood or tar-like stool, or if you have any signs of dehydration.

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How Long Do The Effects Last

Stomach flu rarely lasts longer than 1 to 3 days. However, it may be 1 to 2 weeks before your bowel habits are completely back to normal.

Dehydration is a potentially serious complication of stomach flu. It can happen if your body loses too much fluid because you keep vomiting or having diarrhea. If you are severely dehydrated, you may need to be given fluids intravenously . In children and older adults, dehydration can quickly become life threatening.

What Are The Signs And Symptoms Of A Stomach Infection

The symptoms of stomach infection may vary from mild to severe. Some commonly reported symptoms of stomach infection are-

• Persistent diarrhoea
• Chills
• Weight loss

These symptoms are an indication of viral gastroenteritis. Bacterial gastroenteritis may also cause bloody stool. You must see a doctor if you are having any of these symptoms. Also, be on the lookout for any visible symptoms in babies. Visit a paediatrician if you suspect your baby is having a stomach infection.

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Babies And Children With Gastro

If you have a baby under 6 months, they should be checked by a doctor. Its also a good idea to have babies older than 6 months and young children with gastro checked by a doctor in case they are dehydrated.

If you cannot find rehydration fluids, or your child refuses to drink it, giving diluted fruit juice is reasonable. You could try a cube of ice or an ice-block if your child wont drink.

Babies can continue milk feeds throughout the illness, with rehydration fluid between feeds.

Causes & Risk Factors

H. pylori causes are not many. Mainly, you can get H. pylori from person-to-person transmission by way of direct contact with the saliva, vomit or fecal matter of an infected individual. So, kissing and sharing utensils are two common ways the bacteria spreads. You can also contract H. pylori from consumption of contaminated water or food.

Childhood is actually when youre most at risk for getting H. pylori, especially under circumstances like these:

• Living with someone, like a parent, who already has H. pylori.
• A crowded living situation with many people.
• A lack of clean and reliable water.
• Your home is in a developing country where unsanitary and crowded living situations are more prevalent.

• Testing

Verywell / Anastasia Tretiak

Bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine is a condition that may affect a person for years without causing obvious symptoms. The condition is associated with chronic digestive problems such as gas and bloating. It can also cause diarrhea or constipation. People may be told they have irritable bowel syndrome instead of bacterial overgrowth.

The most common way of getting rid of bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine is to:

• Treat the underlying medical condition
• Eliminate the bacteria
• Improve any nutritional deficiencies.

This article will discuss bacterial overgrowth and natural ways to treat it. Keep reading to also learn what causes bacterial overgrowth as well as the symptoms you may experience.

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