Intestinal flu: important information about the enemy

Intestinal flu is not flu at all , but an infectious disease called gastroenteritis. Just because of the main symptom - abdominal pain - it is called intestinal flu or gastric flu. These signs are joined and typical for common influenza symptoms of the disease - vomiting, fever, muscle and headaches. The difference between these two diseases - for ordinary flu pain in the abdomen is uncharacteristic, and for intestinal flu cough and runny nose are not characteristic.

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Causes of intestinal flu

Infection of a person with intestinal flu is due to contaminated food or drink or the use of contaminated, undercooked poultry, meat, contaminated milk, fresh or unpasteurized.

The disease can also occur due to cross contamination, when the juice of raw meat or poultry comes in contact with ready-to-eat foods, such as salads. For example, if both infected meat and vegetables are cut on one board. Most of the time these infections go by themselves, but severe symptoms can be treated only with the help of antibiotics.

E.coli is a bacterium that usually lives in the digestive tract of humans and animals, and most of these bacteria are absolutely harmless. But one of the types of Escherichia coli, O157: H7 (norovirus), can get into the meat during processing, or into water, food that has been contaminated by feces from the drains of cattle farms.

Vegetables, such as spinach, cabbage and lettuce, can also be contaminated. If, during cooking, a person does not wash his hands properly, he can easily spread the infection.

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Symptoms of intestinal flu

The main symptoms of intestinal flu have just been listed. Each of the pathogens of intestinal flu (viruses) causes sharp spastic pains in the abdomen, fever, nausea, vomiting and watery - and sometimes bloody - stool. In all the blame for the bacterium called Campylobacter, as well as salmonella, which are common causes of intestinal flu, or, as it is called, traveler's diarrhea.

Toxoplasmosis and intestinal flu

Toxoplasmosis is also often confused with ordinary flu and is called intestinal flu because of similar symptoms. Toxoplasmosis is a foodborne infection that is slightly different from other infections. Many people who are infected do not even know about it, although some symptoms of infection still appear. This increase in lymph nodes, muscle pain, head and abdominal pain that last for a month or more.

Infants can become infected with toxoplasmosis in the womb if it suffers from this disease. Like other food infections, toxoplasmosis can attack when eating contaminated meat or undercooked meat, drinking polluted water. Toxoplasmosis can also be infected when cleaning faeces of an animal (changing sand in a cat).

Consequences of infection with norovirus

The main symptoms of infection with norovirus - bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramps, high fever, nausea and vomiting - appear three to four days after infection. Serious infection can lead to kidney damage or dehydration, but most of the intestinal rods of gastroenteritis go away after stopping diarrhea and sufficient fluid intake.

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Details about norovirus

Norovirus is very contagious and can amaze anyone. This is the most common cause of acute gastroenteritis. Norovirus is common in kindergartens, schools and canteens, and most outbreaks of intestinal flu caused by norovirus occur from November to April, when people spend more time indoors. Norovirus can enter the body from contaminated food or water, as well as from contaminated surfaces or from other people.

Norovirus, as a rule, manifests suddenly abdominal pain, head and muscle pains, there is also severe diarrhea and vomiting. Fortunately, these symptoms usually go away quickly and are often called 24-hour flu. So, we emphasize that this disease is not associated with influenza, which is a respiratory disease.

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Prevention of intestinal flu

To avoid food poisoning and gastroenteritis, it is necessary to carry out its prevention. Here are some simple precautions:

• Prepare all kinds of beef and chicken, but especially ground beef, no less than at 100 degrees Celsius.
• Take good care of imported food, including seafood. Especially carefully read the expiration date on the labels
• While working in the kitchen, wash your hands with hot soapy water before and after cooking.
• Carefully work tools, cutting boards or surfaces that are affected by raw meat, fish or poultry.
• Use separate cutting boards for meat and other products.
• Use only pasteurized milk, dairy products and juices.
• When treated for intestinal flu, use only purified water.
• If you are traveling, do not use tap water for drinking unless you know it is safe, and also avoid raw fruits and vegetables if you do not clean them yourself.
• Wash your hands frequently and wash them thoroughly after visiting the toilet or changing diapers.
• Constantly treat the kitchen and bathroom with special solutions that destroy bacteria. Remember also that the spraying tools work fine for cleaning furniture surfaces.

Intestinal flu or gastroenteritis is an unpleasant disease that can be avoided by constantly following simple methods of personal hygiene.