7 Reasons Why You May Have Gastroenteritis
Suffering from gastroenteritis is something really uncomfortable and irritating. 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 you may suffer from gastroenteritis.
You must pay close attention if you want to prevent this disease. In addition to being painful, it usually leads to the convalescence of those who suffer from it. Therefore, carefully read the reasons why you may have gastroenteritis in order to prevent it.
Causes why you may suffer from gastroenteritis
Virus
Viruses are one of the main causes of gastroenteritis.
Among the most frequent viruses associated with gastroenteritis caused by food contamination, we find rotavirus. It usually affects babies who have not been vaccinated against it.
On the other hand, adenoviruses and astroviruses are the cause of diarrhea episodes in children, as well as nausea and vomiting due to inflammation. They have an incidence of more than 70% in cases of diarrhea of ​​infectious origin and mainly affect children between 2 and 7 years of age 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 can lead to gastroenteritis. The main one is the bacterium called Campylobacter jejuni, followed by Salmonella and Escherichia coli , the bacterium that is in direct exposure with feces.
Most of the bacteria found in food comes from its adherence to poultry meat. This is because they are kept at room temperature even after they have been dead for several hours. Thus, it allows bacteria to adhere easily.
Toxins
Toxins produced by bacteria such as Clostridium difficile are another reason why you can suffer from gastroenteritis. This can happen 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 histolytica and Giardia lamblia are species that survive due to poor food hygiene.
The Giardia lamblia is the parasite that causes gastroenteritis severe in people who often travel to countries or places where this infection is quite common. However, Entamoeba histolytica is the parasite popularly known as amoeba because it causes severe conditions of gastroenteritis and abundant diarrhea.
dairy products
Many people are lactose intolerant. This condition manifests itself after the consumption of any dairy product, including milk, cheese, butter and yogurt.
Any of these foods with lactose causes inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract, tiring an intense colic. This pain is only relieved after bowel movements.
Medicines
Several medications can produce adverse effects. Among them are gastrointestinal symptoms such as diarrhea, abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting. This can be explained by the drug’s interaction 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, in addition to drunkenness, it can also leave other sequelae. For example, it inflames the gastric mucosa and, therefore, causes non-infectious gastroenteritis,
As you have seen, the causes of gastroenteritis are diverse. On the one hand, there are causes related to food hygiene. On the other hand, there are others related to your lifestyle. Now that you know about them, be careful not to suffer from gastroenteritis.
