Infectious diarrhea – causes, symptoms & therapy

Infectious diarrhea is a classic diarrheal disease. The patient suffers from loose and increased bowel movements and reports abdominal pain. If nausea and vomiting occur as additional symptoms, the doctor speaks of gastrointestinal inflammation or diarrhea with vomiting .

However, in the case of diarrhea with vomiting, the diarrhea occurs later, so that the patient first complains of nausea. Depending on the cause, diarrhea lasts a few days or one to three weeks.

causes

The causes of infectious diarrhea vary. Viruses , bacteria or parasites are usually responsible. Infectious diarrhea is transmitted through unclean food, unclean water or poor hygiene. Especially unwashed hands after a bowel movement transmit bacteria that lead to infectious diarrhea.Spoiled foods also trigger diarrhea. Here, however, it is not the bacteria, but the toxins produced by the spoiled food. There are dozens of diarrhea pathogens. Each of these pathogens has special properties, so that every infectious diarrhea can take a different course. As a rule, however, the symptoms are always identical.

The pathogens release watery, often foamy, bloody or very soft stools. The main symptom of infectious diarrhea is diarrhea. The patient therefore complains of frequent and watery stools. The patient also complains of abdominal cramps, loss of appetite and nausea without vomiting. Symptoms appear spontaneously and last for several days.

Other symptoms of infectious diarrhea are dizziness, general malaise and circulatory problems. These symptoms often occur in connection with the high water loss. If the patient does not pay attention to an adequate fluid intake, he dries out. Older and younger patients (children) in particular are considered to be at risk.

symptoms and course

Typical symptoms:

• Diarrhea

• stomach pain

• nausea

• Vomit

• Stomach cramps

• loss of appetite

• dizziness

The diagnosis of infectious diarrhea is made on the basis of an ordinary history. The doctor can already make the diagnosis by asking questions and the symptoms. It becomes problematic when defining the pathogen. Infectious diarrhea often lasts only a few days, so that it cannot always be determined due to the time component. For this reason, during the anamnesis, attention is paid to what the patient has eaten recently and whether there may be any triggers.

The intervals between food intake are just as important as, for example, the onset of the disease. Stays abroad are also relevant. Many patients contract infectious diarrhea abroad. It is possible that family members traveling with you have the same symptoms. The doctor takes a stool sample to determine the pathogen.

Furthermore, the other physical characteristics are checked during the diagnosis. What is the patient’s state of health? Is inpatient admission necessary due to water loss? Many children often have to be hospitalized because the water loss is too high.

Infectious diarrhea lasts a few days. However, there are pathogens that delay the course of the disease for weeks. There are patients who suffer from infectious diarrhea for up to four weeks.

complications

In most cases, this disease does not lead to any special complications and does not lead to a serious course. However, those affected suffer from very severe diarrhea and thus a significantly reduced quality of life. Vomiting and nausea can also occur and make everyday life even more difficult.

Patients continue to suffer from abdominal cramps and severe pain. Dehydration is common due to diarrhea and weight loss in general due to loss of appetite. Dizziness and a general feeling of weakness can also occur as a result of this disease.

In most cases, however, this disease lasts only a few days and the disease progresses positively. However, complications can occur if the person concerned does not observe hygiene measures or does not compensate for the loss of water.

The treatment itself takes place without complications and can be carried out with the help of medication. This primarily reduces and stops diarrhea. The life expectancy of those affected is usually not negatively affected by this disease.

treatment and therapy

Since infectious diarrhea usually goes away on its own after a few days, medical treatment is often not necessary. The main premise is adequate fluid intake. The high water loss through diarrhea ensures that the body dries out faster.

If the patient complains of being unwell or having circulatory problems, this is because the patient is not drinking enough. Unsweetened tea or water is advisable. Salt-free soups are also suitable for infectious diarrhea. Since many patients suffer from a loss of appetite, they can very well go without food for a day or two. If the patient is hungry, easily digestible food is advisable. Rusks are recommended for infectious diarrhea.Doctors rarely prescribe medication. As a rule, something is prescribed against the nausea; if the infectious diarrhea is caused by bacteria, antibiotics are prescribed. In this context, it is important that the patient drinks enough fluids. Drugs for diarrhea do not help; In the case of diarrhea, doctors only prescribe medication to build up the intestinal flora.

prevention

The patient can only partially avoid infectious diarrhea, since the pathogens have a relatively high risk of infection. When abroad, it is advisable to only drink packaged water. Even salads can cause diarrhea abroad.The immune system should also be strengthened with vitamins and great importance should be attached to hygiene. Above all, the patient should make sure that he washes his hands properly after defecation. The patient should throw away spoiled food and not eat it.