gastrointestinal disorders
Overview of Gastroenteritis
Introduction
Gastroenteritis is inflammation of the lining of the stomach and small and large intestines. Most cases are infectious, although gastroenteritis may occur after ingestion of drugs, medications, and chemical toxins (eg, metals, plant substances). Acquisition may be foodborne, waterborne, person-to-person spread, or occasionally through zoonotic spread. In the United States, an estimated 1 in 6 people contracts foodborne illness each year. Symptoms include anorexia, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal discomfort. Diagnosis is clinical or by stool culture, although polymerase chain reaction testing and immunoassays are increasingly used. Treatment is supportive and directed at symptoms, but some parasitic and some bacterial infections require specific anti-infective therapy. Most episodes of gastroenteritis are self-limited but cause uncomfortable symptoms. Electrolyte and fluid loss is usually little more than an inconvenience to an otherwise healthy adult but can be grave for people who are very young (see Dehydration in Children ), who are older, or who are immunocompromised or have serious concomitant illnesses. In the United States, each year about 48 million people contract a foodborne illness and 3,000 die of one ( General references ). Worldwide, an estimated 1.6 million people die each year of infectious gastroenteritis ( General references ); although high, this number represents a significant decrease from previous mortality. Improvements in water sanitation in many parts of the world and the appropriate use of 