Intestinal infection in an adult

Intestinal infections is the general name for a broad group of infections that can be caused by both bacteria and viruses, causing digestive disorders and general symptoms.

Sources of intestinal infections

Sources of various pathogens of intestinal infections can be:

• sick people – they secrete viruses or bacteria for a different period of time, from several days to weeks;
• asymptomatic carriers – people who themselves do not have any symptoms, but pathogens are present in their bodies);
• food, if it is contaminated with certain microorganisms in case of violation of sanitary rules during cutting, preparation, storage;
• water, if non-centralized sources are used, when swimming in dangerous water bodies;
• animals – some infections can be transmitted from pets or livestock.

Infectious diseases can be in the form of isolated cases, outbreaks and epidemics. In the warm season, bacterial infections and food poisoning occur more often; in the cold season, outbreaks of viral diseases are possible.

Ways of contracting intestinal infections

Intestinal infections can be contracted in three ways.

Food – through products and dishes that are contaminated with pathogens or prepared in violation of the rules for cutting, storing, thermal processing of products. Dairy products, salads, meat products, eggs, fresh fruits are especially dangerous.

Water – infection occurs due to the ingress of the pathogen with water from unverified, dubious sources. Usually this situation occurs in case of accidents on the water supply or the use of water for drinking from wells, rivers, lakes.

Contact household – the spread of infection from carriers or patients through common objects, dishes, from dirty hands.

Causative agents of intestinal infections

Signs of intestinal infections are quite similar and typical, although each pathogen has its own distinctive features. There are several groups of pathogens.

bacteria (among the most common are Yersinia, Salmonella, Proteus, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus), which release toxins. High concentrations of toxins form a pathology clinic – food toxic infections.

Viruses – damage to the digestive tract is more often provoked by rotavirus, noravirus, adenovirus and some other pathogens. Often, along with intestinal symptoms, they form signs of respiratory damage.

Protozoal infections – they are provoked by protozoan parasites. These are amoeba or giardia. They can give symptoms of bloody diarrhea with severe abdominal pain.

Rotavirus infection

The causative agent of intestinal infection can be different organisms. One of the most common pathogens is rotavirus. In the people it is also called “intestinal” or “stomach flu”. With all the resulting symptoms: vomiting or diarrhea. Most often they get sick with children, but adults can also catch the “intestinal flu”.

The incubation period for the development of intestinal infection in adults is from several hours to several days. The illness can last up to two weeks. In adults, as a rule, symptoms are not so pronounced, the disease can occur without fever, but they are very unpleasant.

norovirus infection

Norfolk virus spreads more often in winter, provoking outbreaks of noravirus infection. The incubation period lasts from several hours to two days, mainly in adults.

It is manifested by high fever, aching muscles and joints, severe malaise, loss of appetite, rare vomiting and frequent diarrhea. Also typical is aching pain in the area of ​​the epigastrium, the navel. Frequent diarrhea can lead to dehydration, which causes dry skin, mucous membranes, decreased urine volume, headache, and severe weakness.

Other infections

It must be understood that other intestinal infections may have similar symptoms, or they may occur during poisoning. But, as a rule, there is no high temperature in case of poisoning.

Symptoms of an intestinal infection in an adult

Usually, the first symptoms appear quite quickly: it takes from 6 to 48 hours after the pathogen enters the body, and you become unwell. It’s time to remember what you ate in the last hours, with whom you contacted, whether you visited the sick. It is necessary to exclude poisoning: mushrooms, drugs, spoiled food. Haven’t used any of these? Did you wash your hands before eating? And if the symptoms (see below) have been observed in recent days by your friends, relatives or colleagues, then most likely you have caught an intestinal infection. An intestinal infection can also begin as a cold: with a sore throat, low temperature, up to 37,5 °C. But soon the disease seemed to “move” to the digestive organs. An intestinal infection in an adult usually manifests itself:

• fever;
• vomiting, diarrhea;
• pain in the lower abdomen;
• discomfort, sometimes a sharp increase in body temperature (up to 38–39 ° C);
• weakness, pallor, shortness of breath, there may be a violation of cardiac activity;
• the most dangerous in this case is the loss of fluid from vomiting and diarrhea.

First aid for intestinal infections

First of all, with intestinal infections, it is important to maintain fluid balance so that there is no dehydration and loss of electrolytes. This is achieved by fractional drinking of liquids – sweet tea with lemon, mineral water without gas, electrolyte solutions 1-2 sips every 5-10 minutes.

Important! If the condition worsens, the temperature does not go astray, vomiting and diarrhea do not go away, a large amount of fluid is lost, an ambulance call and hospitalization are necessary.

Treatment of an intestinal infection in an adult

If symptoms of an intestinal infection appear, you should consult a doctor. After all, there are diseases with similar symptoms. It is important to understand what exactly is happening to you.

Diagnostics

According to the examination, indications of contact with infectious patients and typical complaints, infections can only be suspected. But laboratory data help to accurately determine the pathogen. It is important to collect materials before starting treatment, immediately upon admission, to conduct blood tests to determine the severity of the infection.

If it is a severe infection, urine and blood cultures may be done to rule out spread of the pathogen to other tissues.

If necessary, an ultrasound of the internal organs is performed, the patient is consulted by a surgeon, and an x-ray of the abdominal cavity is performed to exclude surgical pathologies.

Modern treatments

What to do if there is such a patient in the family?

Sick send to lie down. Preferably in a separate room where children should not be allowed. If you feel sick, bring a bowl.

Does the person get sick? Cover him with a blanket. Preferably one that is easy to wash afterwards.

For drinking, allocate a separate dish to the sick person.

In general, methods of treating intestinal infections largely depend on the condition of the patient. If the symptoms are not so pronounced, the sick person has strong immunity, there are no chronic diseases, then you can try to recover on your own.

Medical supplies

What drugs are usually prescribed for intestinal infection in an adult:

• Activated carbon (1 tablet per 10 kg of weight) and other sorbents.
• Regidron (appointed with a large loss of fluid, especially for underweight people, with dehydration). Can be replaced with slightly salted water.
• Also, be sure to drink plenty of water, you can mineral without gases.
• Antipyretics, such as paracetamol. But only if the temperature is really very high, or if a person has a weak heart, he should not overheat if it is life-threatening. It is during the rise in temperature that the body’s immune response occurs, so it actively fights the virus.

Traditional methods of treatment

With an intestinal infection, the patient is prescribed a warm drink. It can be:

• fruit drinks (from fresh or frozen berries);
• unsweetened tea, can be herbal;
• juice (preferably diluted);
• jelly is especially good – because of its astringent properties.

But dairy products should be excluded – until complete recovery!

Important! No other folk methods of treatment (various infusions, decoctions of fixing herbs, plants) can be used. They can only hurt.

Diet for intestinal infection

After the sick person becomes better, he will need to follow a diet for several days.

Porridge on the water (preferably rice), croutons from white or gray bread, exclude vegetables and fruits that cause fermentation – like grapes, cabbage, black bread, legumes, etc. By the way, abroad, with an intestinal infection, doctors seriously prescribe drinks like pepsi or cola. But we still do not dare to recommend it.

Can I take antibiotics on my own?

Antibiotics should not be taken for intestinal infections. Firstly, they will not help with this disease, antibiotics do not act on the virus. Secondly, antibiotics can destroy the remnants of beneficial microflora in the intestines, harming even more. And it’s not easy for him right now.

Antibiotics are justified if it is a bacterial intestinal infection. But it is impossible to determine the pathogen by eye, laboratory tests are needed. In any case, the doctor decides whether to prescribe antibacterial drugs or not.

When is it necessary to see a doctor?

If vomiting or loose stools occur more than three or four times a day, this is already a reason to stop self-medication and consult a doctor. Symptoms of, for example, dysentery or salmonellosis are easily confused with “intestinal flu”. And such diseases cannot be cured with bed rest and activated charcoal alone!

Vomiting, convulsions, fever for several days, diarrhea with streaks of blood – with these symptoms, a doctor should be consulted immediately.

Prevention of intestinal infection in an adult at home

The main thing is personal hygiene. “As a rule, intestinal infections enter the human body through dirty hands. In Russia, for example, 75% of men and 56% of women do not wash their hands after going to the toilet! They manage not to wash vegetables, berries and fruits at all.

What other measures to prevent intestinal infection in an adult are advised by sanitary doctors:

For raw meat and fish, the kitchen should have separate knives and separate cutting boards. It is impossible to cut raw meat (fish) and vegetables with the same tools.

Hot meals should be cooked at temperatures above 70°C. This temperature is deadly for germs.

Do not leave cooked food at room temperature for more than two hours.

Do not defrost food at room temperature. Better in the fridge.

Popular questions and answers

We discussed the danger of intestinal infections in adults, the possibility of eating certain foods, the risks of self-medication with gastroenterologist Ekaterina Myasnikova.