Suffering from gastroenteritis is something really uncomfortable and annoying. It is a condition that inflames the walls of the stomach and small intestine, specifically the duodenum. Its main symptoms are loss of appetite, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting .
This disease is related to infections due to the consumption of food contaminated by certain microorganisms. From viruses to bacteria and non-infectious causes are among the reasons why you can suffer from gastroenteritis.
You must pay enough attention if you want to prevent this disease. In addition to being painful, it usually leads to convalescence for those who suffer from it. Therefore, read carefully the reasons why you may suffer from it in such a way that you can prevent it.
Virus
Viruses are one of the main causes of gastroenteritis.
Rotavirus is one of the most common viruses associated with gastroenteritis due to food contamination. In general, it affects those babies who have not been vaccinated against it.
On the other hand, adenovirus and astrovirus are the cause of diarrhea episodes in children, in addition to nausea and vomiting due to inflammation. They have an incidence of more than 70% in diarrhea of ​​infectious origin. They mostly affect children between the ages of 2 and 7 who are exposed to contaminated food.
On the other hand, experts indicate that “in immunocompromised patients, other viruses (eg, cytomegalovirus, enterovirus) can cause gastroenteritis.”
Bacteria
A long list of bacteria encompasses the reasons why you can suffer from gastroenteritis. The main one is the bacterium called Campylobacter jejuni, followed by Salmonella and Escherichia coli , which is the one that is in direct exposure with feces.
Most of the bacteria found in food come from its adherence to poultry meat. This is because they stay at room temperature even after several hours dead. Thus, it allows bacteria to adhere easily.
Toxins
The toxins given by bacteria such as Clostridium difficile are other reasons why you can suffer from gastroenteritis. This can occur in a matter of a few hours, as they are a major cause of diarrhea after consuming food stored for several days without protection.
Parasites
Parasites also play an important role. In this sense, Entamoeba histolytic a and Giardia lamblia are species that survive due to poor food hygiene.
The Giardia lambli to is the parasite that causes severe gastroenteritis in people who often travel to countries where the infection is highly prevalent. However, Entamoeba histolytica is the parasite popularly known as amoeba due to the intense symptoms of gastroenteritis and abundant diarrhea that it causes.
Dairy products
Many are the people who turn out to be lactose intolerant . This condition manifests itself with the consumption of any dairy product, including milk, cheese, butter and yogurt.
Any of these substances with lactose cause the inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract disease with pain of high intensity. This pain is only relieved after bowel movements.
Medicines
Various medications can cause adverse effects . These include gastrointestinal symptoms such as diarrhea, abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting. This can be explained by the interaction of the drug with the hydrochloric acid in the stomach.
The drugs that most often cause this side effect are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).
Alcohol
There are many immediate effects of alcohol because, apart from being drunk, it also leaves consequences. For example, it inflames the gastric mucosa and leaves pictures of non-infectious gastroenteritis. This manifests itself with abdominal pain and diarrhea that only stop when all the alcohol has been eliminated from the body.
As you can see, the causes of gastroenteritis are diverse. On the one hand, there are the causes related to food hygiene. On the other hand, those related to your lifestyle. Now that you know them, try to be careful not to suffer from gastroenteritis.