GI Infections

Question 1

What is gastroenteritis?

Answer 1

rapid onset diarrhoea illness, <2 weeks with diarrhoea for more than 3 days OR more than 200g of stool which is either viral or bacterial in aetiology

Question 2

What is diarrhoea

Answer 2

loose/watery stool, more than 3x/24hours

• acute = <14 days (viral/bacterial)
• persistent = 14-29 days
• chronic = >30 days (parasites, non-infectious aetiology)

Small bowel diarrhoea = watery, crampy abdominal pain, bloating and gas, inflammatory cells rare

Large bowel diarrhoea = small volume, painful, occur with blood/mucous, inflammatory cells common

Question 3

RFs for gastroenteritis

Answer 3

Food-bourne

Exposure related

• outbreak, travel hx, occupational exposure, animal contacts, reptile contacts, instittution/childcare facility

Host-related

• young child, elderly, immunosuppressed patients, MSM, anal-genital, oral-anal, or digital-anal contact, haemochromatosis/haemoglobinopathy