Viral gastroenteritis, or viral diarrhea, is caused by various viruses and is highly contagious through contact with infected individuals or contaminated items. Symptoms include inflammation, vomiting, and diarrhea. Treatment involves increasing fluid intake and avoiding strenuous activity, as antibiotics have no effect. Young children are at a higher risk of complications.
Viral diarrhea is actually caused by several viruses and the technical name is viral gastroenteritis. These viruses enter a person’s stomach through a variety of methods, usually involving contact with an infected person. They have inflammation, which eventually leads to vomiting and diarrhea. Most people are able to recover from viral diarrhea fairly easily, but the severity of the illness varies depending on the specific virus involved and the immune system of the infected person. Sometimes people refer to viral diarrhea as “stomach flu,” but it’s not actually related to the flu virus in any way.
Many of the viruses that cause diarrhea are extremely contagious, and transmission from an infected person is one of the most common ways to get it. These viruses can usually be transmitted through unwashed hands or by sharing food with people. In some areas where the water is not properly sanitized, they can also get viral diarrhea. The best way to avoid passing viral diarrhea on to other people is to wash your hands often, especially after using the bathroom. Some of the best ways to avoid getting infected are to avoid contact with other infected people whenever possible and to stay away from potentially contaminated items.
It is usually not much involved in the diagnosis of viral diarrhea. Doctors can usually pinpoint a virus as the likely cause based on symptoms alone. In some rare cases, doctors may need a stool sample, but it’s usually reserved for very serious situations or cases involving young children.
The biggest danger in cases of viral diarrhea is when someone is already dehydrated for some reason. A good example would be someone who works at a physically demanding job where he may sweat a lot. In situations like this, a case of diarrhea has the potential to be dangerous. Most doctors advise avoiding strenuous activity while suffering from viral diarrhea, and an increase in fluid intake is also generally considered advisable.
For most people, treatment isn’t really necessary for cases of viral diarrhea. Other than increasing fluid intake, doctors usually let the disease run its course and for viruses this is often the only choice as antibiotics have no effect. There are some medications that can reduce nausea, and for some people, they can help deal with the vomiting aspect of a stomach virus. In younger children, there is a slightly higher risk of complications, especially if they have some other problem that makes them prone to dehydration.
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