Gastro-enteritis Flashcards
What is gastroenteritis?
Inflammation of the stomach and intestines.
Usually resulting from bacterial toxins or viral infection.
How long does gastroenteritis last?
Less than two weeks.
If symptoms persist longer, consider chronic pathological causes.
How can gastroenteritis-causing vectors spread? (4)
- Contamination of Food (salmonella-eggs and campylobacter-chicken)
- Poor storage of produce (room temp bacterial proliferation)
- Travel Related infections (salmonella in india)
- Person-to-person spread
How does gastroenteritis present? (3)
Diarrhoea
Abdominal Pain
Vomiting
What is the diagnostic criteria for loose stools to be considered diarrhoea? (2)
Three or more loose stools daily.
Lasting less than two weeks.
What are the treatment options for gastroenteritis diarrhoea? (3)
- Oral rehydration therapy
- IV Saline rehydration
- Treat associated complications
How does CAMPYLOBACTER gastroenteritis present? (2)
- Severe abdominal pain
- Most common cause of bacterial food poisoning in UK
How does SALMONELLA gastroenteritis present? (2)
- Usually 48 hours after exposure.
- Diarrhoea less than 10 days.
N.B. may present with post infection IBS
How long do patients have positive stools after exposure to salmonella?
Stools still positive after 5 months in 20% of patients.
How does E.Coli present? (3)
- Renal Failure
- Haemolytic Anaemia
- Thrombocytopenia
What is the pathology of E. Coli?
E.Coli O157 produces a toxin.
E.Coli O157 stays in gut, but toxins reach blood.
The toxins cause haemolytic-uraemic syndrome (HUS)
What is HUS?
Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS) is a condition that affects the blood and blood vessels.
It results in the destruction of blood platelets, anemia and kidney failure due to damage to small blood vessels of the kidneys.
