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Gastroenteritis
Pronunciation
Definition 1
Inflammation of the lining of the stomach and the intestines. Symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal cramps (dull or sharp pains). Gastroenteritis may be caused by infection with bacteria, parasites, or viruses. It may also be caused by food poisoning, allergic reactions, or reactions to certain medicines or foods. (NCI Dictionary)
Definition 2
An inflammatory disorder that affects the upper and lower gastrointestinal tract. Most commonly, this is attributed to viruses; however bacteria, parasites or adverse reactions can also be the culprit. Symptoms include acute diarrhea and vomiting. (NCI Thesaurus)
More information
Have you ever had the "stomach flu?" What you probably had was gastroenteritis - not a type of flu at all. Gastroenteritis is an inflammation of the lining of the intestines caused by a virus, bacteria or parasites. Viral gastroenteritis is the second most common illness in the U.S. The cause is often a norovirus infection. It spreads through contaminated food or water, and contact with an infected person. The best prevention is frequent hand washing.
Symptoms of gastroenteritis include diarrhea, abdominal pain, vomiting, headache, fever and chills. Most people recover with no treatment.
The most common problem with gastroenteritis is dehydration. This happens if you do not drink enough fluids to replace what you lose through vomiting and diarrhea. Dehydration is most common in babies, young children, the elderly and people with weak immune systems. (NIH: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)
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