Gastroenteritis

Question 1

What is gastroenteritis?

Answer 1

Gastritis - inflammation of the stomach causing nausea and vomiting
Enteritis - gastritis of the intestines causing diarrhoea

Gastroenteritis - inflammation from the stomach to intestines - causing vomiting, nausea and diarrhoea.

Question 2

What is the most common cause of gastroenteritis in children?

Answer 2

rotavirus

Question 3

What is the most common cause of gastroenteritis in adults?

Answer 3

norovirus

Question 4

What are the main signs of gastroenteritis?

Answer 4

nausea
vomiting
diarrhoea

Question 5

What are the viral causes of gastroenteritis?

Answer 5

Rotavirus
Norovirus
adenovirus

Question 6

what are the bacterial causes of gastroenteritis?

Answer 6

staphylococcus aureus 
bacillus cereus
clostridium perfringens
campylobacter jejuni
Ecoli
Ecoli 0157
salmonella
shigella

Question 7

What is a complication of E.coli 0157?

Answer 7

produces shiga toxin causing haemolytic uraemia syndrome

Question 8

When are antibiotics avoided?

Answer 8

When E.coli could be the cause

Question 9

Who commonly gets campylobacter jejuni?

Answer 9

Travellers from raw poultry, untreated water and unpasteurised milk

Question 10

Which bacteria can produce shiga toxin?

Answer 10

shigella

E.Coli 0157 - causes haemolytic uraemia syndrome

Question 10

Which bacteria can produce shiga toxin?

Answer 10

shigella

E.Coli 0157 - causes haemolytic uraemia syndrome

Question 11

how is salmonella spread?

Answer 11

raw eggs or poultry

Associated with Watery diarrhoea

Question 12

how is bacillus cereus spread?

Answer 12

through reheated rice

Question 13

how is staphylococcus aureus spread?

Answer 13

through cooked meats and creams

Question 14

how is clostridium per fringes spread?

Answer 14

through reheated meat

Question 15

How is gastroenteritis managed?

Answer 15

Fluid replacement

oral rehydration packets (dioralite)

Question 16

before fluid is given what should be done?

Answer 16

fluid challenge - if they can tolerate fluid consider treating at home, if they can’t tolerate fluid consider IV fluid

Question 17

What investigations can be done?

Answer 17

fluid challenge

Stool sample - microscopy, culture and sensitivities

Question 18

When can antibiotics be given?

Answer 18

If the cause is not E.Coli
ONLY once antibiotic sensitivities and causative organism has been found
Only given in severe infection or when theres a risk of co morbidities

Question 19

what is checked for in a stool sample?

Answer 19

antibiotic sensitivity
microscopy
culture

Question 20

How long should the patient stay off school/work?

Answer 20

At least 48hrs after symptoms have resolved

Question 21

What are post gastroenteritis complications?

Answer 21

IBS
Reactive arthritis
Guillain-barre syndrome
lactose intolerance (that improves over time)

Question 22

How is gastroenteritis usually spread?

Answer 22

via the oral-faecal route.