Reporter: Jale Kiathlene A.

Jaugan, SN
What is Acute Gastroenteritis?
 is inflammation and/or irritation of
the digestive tract that can cause
nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and/or
abdominal pain that lasts less than
14 days. When symptoms last 14 to
30 days, the condition is considered
persistent gastroenteritis
Acute Gastroenteritis
 When you
have diarrhea and vomiting, you
may say you have the "stomach flu."
These symptoms often are due to a
condition called gastroenteritis.

 With gastroenteritis,
your stomach and intestines are
irritated and inflamed. The cause is
typically a viral or bacterial infection.
FACTS:
 Viral gastroenteritis is a leading cause of
severe diarrhea in both adults and children.
 Many types of viruses can cause
gastroenteritis. Rotavirus is the most
common cause of acute gastroenteritis
worldwide.
FACTS:
 Dehydration, electrolyte disturbance and
other complications can be prevented
and treated by fluid therapy
 Those with mild-moderate dehydration
can be treated with oral rehydration
solutions.
 Severely dehydrated or shocked usually
need intravenous fluids and hospital
admission
 Drugs are usually unnecessary and may
do harm
What Causes Gastroenteritis
There are many ways gastroenteritis can
be spread:

 Contact with someone who has the virus

 Contaminated food or water
 Unwashed hands after going to the
bathroom or changing a diaper
 The most common cause of gastroenteritis
is a virus. Gastroenteritis flu can be caused
by many different kinds of viruses. The main
types are rotavirus and norovirus.

 Rotavirus is the world's most common cause

of diarrhea in infants and young children.

 Norovirus is the most common cause of

serious gastroenteritis and also food borne
disease outbreaks in the U.S.
SYMPTOMS
Most often appear within 4 to 48 hours after
contact with the virus. Common symptoms
include:
 Abdominal pain
 Diarrhea
 Nausea and vomiting
 Chills, clammy skin, or sweating
 Fever
 Joint stiffness or muscle pain
 Poor feeding
 Weight loss
DIAGNOSIS
The health care provider will look for signs
of dehydration, including:
 Low or no urine output; concentrated
urine that looks dark yellow
 Dry or sticky mouth
 Severe weakness
 Low blood pressure
 No tears
 Sunken eyes
TREATMENT
 The goal of treatment is to prevent
dehydration by making sure the body has
enough water and fluids. Fluids and
electrolytes (salt and minerals) that are lost
through diarrhea or vomiting must be
replaced by drinking extra fluids. Even if
you are able to eat, you should still drink
extra fluids between meals.
 Try eating small amounts of food
frequently, including cereals, bread,
potatoes, lean meat, plain yogurt, bananas,
fresh apples, vegetables.
 Drink small amounts of fluid (2 – 4 oz.)
every 30 – 60 minutes. Do not try to
force down large amounts of fluid at one
time, which can cause vomiting. Use a
teaspoon or syringe for an infant or
small child.
 If you have diarrhea and are unable to
drink or keep down fluids because of
nausea or vomiting, you may need fluids
through a vein, which is done in the
hospital. Consult a doctor if there are
signs of dehydration.
PREVENTION
There are some actions people can do to
prevent or reduce the chance of getting
gastroenteritis, including:
 Wash hands thoroughly
 Do not eat undercooked foods, especially
meats
 Do not eat or drink raw foods
 Boil untreated water
 Do not drink untreated or unpasteurized
fluids, especially milk
 Thoroughly wash any produce (e.g.
fruits, vegetables) before eating
 Drink only well-sealed bottled or
carbonated water.
 Avoid ice cubes, because they may be
made from contaminated water.
 Use bottled water to brush your teeth.
 Avoid raw food — including peeled
fruits, raw vegetables and salads (which
has been touched by human hands)
 Avoid undercooked meat and fish.
 Nursing Interventions
•Ask the client about a recent
history of:Drinking contaminated
water.
•Eating food inadequately cooked.
•Ingestion of unpasteurized dairy
products.
Assess for abdominal pain,
abdominal cramping, hyperactive
bowel sounds, frequency, urgency,
and loose stools.
Submit client’s stool for culture.
Rationale
Eating contaminated foods or
drinking contaminated water may
predispose the client to intestinal
infection.
These assessment findings are
commonly connected with
diarrhea. If gastroenteritis involves
the large intestine, the colon is not
able to absorb water and the
client’s stool is very watery.
A culture is a test to detect which
causative organisms cause an
infection.

Teach the client about the
importance of hand
washing after each bowel
movement and before preparing
food for others.
Encourage the client to eat foods
rich in potassium.
Encourage the client to restrict the
intake of caffeine, milk and dairy
products.
Hands that are contaminated
may easily spread the bacteria
to utensils and surfaces used in
food preparation hence hand
washing after each bowel
movement is the most efficient
way to prevent the transmission
of infection to others.
When a client experience diarrhea,
the stomach contents which is high
in potassium get flushed out of the
gastrointestinal tract into the stool
and out of the body, resulting in
hypokalemia.
These food items can irritate the
lining of the stomach, hence may
worsen diarrhea.