Feeling sick to the stomach? Find out why

		Thursday, Nov 03, 2011 The Star (Malaysia) /Asia News Network
Feeling sick to the stomach? Find out why
Feeling sick to the stomach? Find out what bugs can cause mayhem. Gastroenteritis is due to irritation and inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract, which often results in diarrhoea, abdominal cramps, nausea, vomiting, and fever. This intestinal infection can be contagious, and can spread through contact with an infected person, unhygienic practices, and through contaminated objects, food or water. Anyone can contract gastroenteritis. However, it is more common among infants and children under the age of five. What causes gastroenteritis? Gastroenteritis is caused by infection from different types of bacteria, viruses, and parasites. These infectious agents can come from outside a person's body, or result from an internal condition. Among the most common types of bacteria causing this infection are: Escherichia coli - causes food poisoning, dysentery, traveler's diarrhoea or colitis. Salmonella - can cause typhoid fever or non-typhoidal food-poisoning. Shigella - can cause dysentery (inflammation of the large intestine causing bloody diarrhoea). Campylobacter - from undercooked meat and unpasteurised milk. Viruses such as rotavirus, norovirus, and adenovirus account for 30-40 per cent of gastroenteritis in children. They spread through close contact in day cares and schools. Each of these organisms causes a person to develop slightly different symptoms, but they all share one similarity: acute diarrhoea leading to dehydration. Parasites and protozoa are less frequently responsible for intestinal irritation. However, they can infect you when you drink contaminated water. Swimming pools are common places to come in contact with parasites, such as the Giardia parasite, as they are resistant to chlorine treatment. Watch your symptoms Bouts of gastroenteritis can also be caused by food allergies, heavy metals, and certain medications. The severity of gastroenteritis infection depends on the immune system's ability to resist the infection. Electrolytes (these include the essential elements of sodium and potassium) may be lost as the affected individual vomits and experiences diarrhoea. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), diarrhoeal disease is the second leading cause of death worldwide in children under the age of five, and is responsible for killing 1.5 million children every year. Unlike bacterial infections, which are treatable with antibiotics, viral infections do not respond to antibiotics and add to the global statistics of child fatalities, especially in under-developed countries. When will symptoms appear? The incubation period for a gastrointestinal infection can differ depending on the type of germ causing it. For instance, the Shigella bacteria's incubation period is typically two to four days, but the period for a viral infection ranges from four to 48 hours. Parasitic infections generally have longer incubation periods, where symptoms can appear within one to four weeks. Depending on the type of germ and the person's overall health, a gastroenteritis infection can last for a few days or a few weeks. Diarrhoea usually goes away on its own in a few days. Most people with acute gastroenteritis recover easily, especially healthy adults and teenagers. But for small children and those with chronic illnesses, it can lead to dehydration that requires medical attention.

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Know your viruses It is important to know which viruses are causing your child to run to the washroom every few hours so that immediate action can be taken to control and prevent the spread of this infection. Rotavirus Rotavirus, which resembles a wheel when looked under an electron microscope, is the most common and potentially lethal virus that primarily infects infants and young children. Symptoms such as fever, nausea, vomiting and watery diarrhoea will appear two days after exposure to this virus, and the symptoms may last up to eight days. The virus spreads through the faecal-oral route or through contact with the stools (faeces) of an infected child. The virus has a long survival rate on infected surfaces such as toys or furniture. Most children (by the age of five) have been infected by rotavirus and the first infection is usually the worst. However, once a child is exposed to this virus, subsequent exposure to it will have less severe effects as immunity against this virus develops. Rotavirus vaccines have played a major role in preventing the spread of this virus in young children. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that while this viral disease is still a significant public health problem globally, there has been a clear reduction in hospitalisations and deaths of young children following the introduction of the vaccine. Dehydration as a result of diarrhoea can be treated through oral rehydration. This means giving your child more fluids in the form of milk or oral rehydrating salt solutions to drink. Occasionally, intravenous rehydration may be required when the child is vomiting profusely. Children who have been immunised and breastfed also stand a better chance against the rotavirus.