patient report for stomach flu

How is stomach flu diagnosed?

Healthcare providers often can diagnose stomach flu from your symptoms. But your provider may want to rule out other illnesses with some tests: Sigmoidoscopy: A doctor inserts a thin, flexible tube with a tiny camera from the anus into the lower large intestine to look for signs of inflammatory bowel disease.

What should you do if you have stomach flu?

Discover how to prepare food without Salmonella risk, and what to do if you get a Salmonella infection. Stomach flu symptoms need treatment if vomiting, diarrhea, and dehydration are severe. Stomach flu is contagious and some cases may be due to food poisoning. Stomach flu remedies include hydration, electrolytes, and bland diet.

What are the signs and symptoms of viral stomach flu?

The most frequent signs and symptoms of viral stomach flu include diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting. 1 diarrhea, 2 nausea, and 3 vomiting.

How long does the stomach flu last?

The stomach flu usually lasts less than a week. Be sure to stay home if you have symptoms, and continue to practice good handwashing afterward. The virus can still be in your stool for up to two weeks after you’ve stopped having symptoms, so be extra careful with your bathroom habits.

How do you assess the stomach flu?

Your doctor will likely diagnose viral gastroenteritis (stomach flu) based on symptoms, a physical exam and sometimes on the presence of similar cases in your community. A rapid stool test can detect rotavirus or norovirus, but there are no quick tests for other viruses that cause gastroenteritis.

Should norovirus be reported?

Healthcare providers should report all outbreaks of acute gastroenteritis, including suspected outbreaks of norovirus, to the appropriate state, local, or territorial health department.

What are the symptoms of stomach flu in adults?

SymptomsWatery, usually nonbloody diarrhea — bloody diarrhea usually means you have a different, more severe infection.Nausea, vomiting or both.Stomach cramps and pain.Occasional muscle aches or headache.Low-grade fever.

How long does a stomach flu last?

Stomach flu (viral enteritis) is an infection in the intestines. It has an incubation period of 1 to 3 days, during which no symptoms occur. Once symptoms appear, they usually last for 1 to 2 days, although symptoms may linger for as long as 10 days. This can be especially true for older people.

How do you investigate norovirus?

TaqMan-based RT-qPCR assays detect the RNA of the virus. They can be used to test stool, vomitus, food, water, and environmental specimens for norovirus. RT-qPCR assays are the preferred method to detect norovirus because they are very sensitive and specific. They can detect as few as 10 to 100 norovirus copies.

How is a norovirus outbreak identified?

An outbreak of norovirus is defined as an occurrence of two or more similar illnesses resulting from a common exposure that is either suspected or laboratory-confirmed to be caused by norovirus.

What should I eat with stomach flu?

Foods to eat include clear broths, crackers, toast, gelatin, bananas, rice and chicken. Avoid certain foods until you feel better. These foods include dairy products, alcohol, caffeine, nicotine, processed foods, and fatty, spicy or highly seasoned foods.

Is stomach flu infectious?

Despite its name, the stomach flu isn't caused by the same virus that causes influenza. However, there are several other viruses that can cause the stomach flu. The stomach flu is contagious, which means it can be spread from one person to another.

What causes the stomach flu?

You can get sick from bacteria, parasites, toxins and viruses. Viruses are the most common cause of so-called stomach flu. Norovirus is often the culprit for adults, while rotavirus is frequently to blame for stomach flu in children. These viruses mostly infect the lining of the small intestine.

What foods can cause stomach flu?

Caffeine, dairy, and overly sweet, spicy, or fatty foods and drinks may aggravate stomach flu symptoms....Food and drinks to avoidCaffeinated beverages. ... High-fat and fried foods. ... Spicy foods. ... Sugary foods and beverages. ... Milk and milk products.

What drinks help diarrhea?

Adults can use oral rehydration solutions or diluted juices, diluted sports drinks, clear broth, or decaffeinated tea. Sugary, carbonated, caffeinated, or alcoholic drinks can make diarrhea worse, so be sure to dilute sugary beverages if you drink them. Don't eat only bland foods.

How do you get viral gastroenteritis?

The most common way to develop viral gastroenteritis — often called stomach flu —is through contact with an infected person or by ingesting contaminated food or water. If you're otherwise healthy, you'll likely recover without complications. But for infants, older adults and people with compromised immune systems, ...

What is the main complication of viral gastroenteritis?

The main complication of viral gastroenteritis is dehydration — a severe loss of water and essential salts and minerals. If you're healthy and drink enough to replace fluids you lose from vomiting and diarrhea, dehydration shouldn't be a problem.

How to prevent gastroenteritis in children?

Given to children in the first year of life, the vaccine appears to be effective in preventing severe symptoms of this illness. Wash your hands thoroughly .

What are the symptoms of gastroenteritis?

Gastroenteritis, on the other hand, attacks your intestines, causing signs and symptoms, such as: Watery, usually nonbloody diarrhea — bloody diarrhea usually means you have a different, more severe infection. Abdominal cramps and pain. Nausea, vomiting or both. Occasional muscle aches or headache.

What is the most common cause of gastroenteritis in children?

Rotavirus. Worldwide, this is the most common cause of viral gastroenteritis in children, who are usually infected when they put their fingers or other objects contaminated with the virus into their mouths. The infection is most severe in infants and young children.

What is the name of the organ that processes food?

The stomach, small intestine and large intestine (colon) are part of your digestive tract, which processes the foods you eat. Viral gastroenteritis is an inflammation of these organs caused by a virus.

What is the difference between the flu and gastroenteritis?

Real flu (influenza) affects only your respiratory system — your nose, throat and lungs. Gastroenteritis, on the other hand, attacks your intestines, causing signs and symptoms, such as: Watery, usually nonbloody diarrhea — bloody diarrhea usually means you have a different, more severe infection. Abdominal cramps and pain.

What causes stomach flu?

Other causes of stomach flu. There are many other less frequent causes of gastroenteritis such as food allergies (eosinophilic gastroenteritis), antibiotics, and toxins. Gastroenteritis symptoms are frequently listed as possible side effects of many medicines.

How is stomach flu transmitted?

Contagious gastroenteritis is spread or transmitted usually by the fecal – oral route or by eating or drinking contaminated foods.

How long does stomach flu last?

Stomach flu (gastroenteritis) facts. Acute gastroenteritis lasts about seven to 14 days while chronic may last for months or longer. The stomach flu (gastroenteritis) is a nonspecific term for various inflammatory problems in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract.

How long should you wait to notify medical personnel of stomach flu?

Notify medical personnel if you have the stomach flu for more than five days, or if dehydration, bloodied diarrhea, constant abdominal pain, or high fever develops. The major complication of gastroenteritis is dehydration.

What is the most common cause of gastroenteritis in the U.S.?

The most prevalent cause of gastroenteritis in the U.S. and the world is Norovirus. It causes about 50%-70% of viral gastroenteritis cases, while Rotavirus, Astrovirus, Adenovirus, and Sapovirus strains cause most of the other viral gastroenteritis infections. Norovirus also was listed as the leading cause of gastroenteritis in children under 5 years old according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

What are the symptoms of bacterial stomach flu?

vomiting. Signs and symptoms of bacterial stomach flu include. fever, and. bloodied diarrhea (hemorrhagic gastroenteritis). Food allergies may produce eosinophilic gastroenteritis, a sign of which is increased eosinophils (a type of white blood cell) seen in the blood.

What are the symptoms of gastroenteritis?

The primary symptom of viral gastroenteritis (stomach flu) is diarrhea (non-bloody). Nausea, vomiting, and some abdominal cramping may accompany the diarrhea. Mild fever (about 100 F or 37.77 C), chills, headache, and muscle aches along with feeling tired may occur in some individuals with viral gastroenteritis.

What is a doctor's note for stomach flu?

A doctor’s note for stomach flu is basically a documentation that allows a patient to be excused for a certain number of days. The patient is exempted from attending his work owing to the stomach flu. In keeping with this, the doctor’s note is designed in such a way that contains various generic factors, most of which you have already encountered above. However, a lot of doctors prefer to keep their notes short and to the point. Such notes include components, such as:

What are the symptoms of stomach flu?

Common symptoms that are determinant factors of stomach flu include watery diarrhea, abdominal cramps, nausea, vomiting, and in certain cases, fever also accompanies the infection. There are various tracts through which stomach flu finds its way within our bodies.

What is the stomach flu?

There are various diseases that humans are inflicted with. Amongst all these, stomach flu is one of the most common diseases with which people are affected. Scientifically referred to as viral gastroenteritis, stomach flu is essentially an intestinal infection.

What is a doctor's note?

A doctor’s note is simply a written statement from a medically qualified personnel, providing evidence to employers and educational institutions for individuals that miss out on work or school due to medical reasons. Also referred to as a doctor’s certificate or medical certificate, a doctor’s note serves as documentation to show that a particular employee or student is currently unfit for attending their jobs or their school respectively. Components of a Doctor’s Note A doctor’s note differs widely depending on the doctor in-charge of designing it. As a result, there are various differences regarding the format and the style involved in it. In spite of this, there are certain components that you will find common in all doctor’s notes. Here are those components:

Do you need a doctor for stomach flu?

In a majority of cases, the patient afflicted with the disease doesn’t actually require the aid of a doctor. However, individuals such as older adults and even people with compromised immune systems can be severely bedridden with stomach flu. And they are bound to require a doctor’s note in such a case.

How to treat viral gastroenteritis?

You can treat viral gastroenteritis by replacing lost fluids and electrolytes to prevent dehydration. In some cases, over-the-counter medicines may help relieve your symptoms. Research shows that following a restricted diet does not help treat viral gastroenteritis.

What to give a child with viral gastroenteritis?

If your child has viral gastroenteritis, you should give your child an oral rehydration solution —such as Pedialyte, Naturalyte, Infalyte, and CeraLyte—as directed to replace lost fluids and electrolytes. Oral rehydration solutions are liquids that contain glucose and electrolytes. Talk with a doctor about giving these solutions to your infant.

How long should you wait to eat if you have gastroenteritis?

If you have viral gastroenteritis, avoid handling and preparing food for others while you are sick and for 2 days after your symptoms stop. 7 People who have viral gastroenteritis may spread the virus to any food they handle, especially if they do not thoroughly wash their hands.

Do probiotics help with viral gastroenteritis?

to treat viral gastroenteritis. Antibiotics don’t work for viral infections. In some cases, your doctor may recommend probiotics. NIH external link. . Probiotics are live microbes, most often bacteria, that are like the ones you normally have in your digestive tract.

Can contaminated water spread a virus?

Contaminated water may also spread a virus to foods before they are harvested. For example, contaminated fruits, vegetables, and oysters have been linked to norovirus outbreaks. Wash fruits and vegetables before using them, and thoroughly cook oysters and other shellfish. 7 Find tips to help keep food safe.

Can you vomit after eating?

When you have viral gastroenteritis, you may vomit after you eat or lose your appetite for a short time. When your appetite returns, you can most often go back to eating your normal diet, even if you still have diarrhea. Find tips on what to eat when you have viral gastroenteritis.

Can you give a child over the counter medicine?

If you have bloody diarrhea or fever—signs of infections with bacteria or parasites —don’t use over-the-counter medicines to treat diarrhea. See a doctor for treatment.

How to diagnose stomach flu?

In most cases, it’s enough to diagnose the stomach flu from a physical exam and a careful medical history. The majority of the time, people start to feel better in a few days and so they never see a doctor. When a doctor is consulted about the stomach flu, treatment is mostly supportive while the virus runs its course.

What is the medical term for diarrhea and vomiting caused by a virus?

The medical term for diarrhea and vomiting caused by a virus is viral gastroenteritis , but it is often called the stomach flu. With viral gastroenteritis, the digestive system is inflamed, which leads to symptoms such as loose stools and vomiting.

How long does the stomach flu last?

The symptoms usually last a few days and pass on their own. 1  For this reason, most people don’t wind up seeing a doctor for the stomach flu or getting an official diagnosis. The stomach flu is not related to the influenza virus (“the flu”), which is a contagious upper respiratory condition. 2 .

How do stomach flu viruses spread?

These viruses spread through close contact with someone or touching a contaminated surface. If you have the stomach flu, the virus is in your stool or vomit, so you can spread it if you don't wash your hands well after using the bathroom. 18.

How to get stool sample from diarrhea?

When there is diarrhea, holding the container under the bottom during a bowel movement may be the easiest way to get a stool sample. The sample will need to be sent to a lab and tested to see if there is anything in it that can cause an infection or inflammation.

How to diagnose viral gastroenteritis?

Diagnosing viral gastroenteritis is usually done after a review of the symptoms. Most people will be able to decide by themselves from prior experience, and from knowing that an illness is “going around," that symptoms are being caused by a common virus.

How to check for blood in stool?

Lying on one side on an exam table with knees up to the chest. Lying on the back on an exam table with feet up in stirrups. A physician will insert a gloved, lubricated finger into the anus to check for blood in the stool.

What does stool test show?

You will receive instructions on where to send or take the container for analysis. Stool tests can show signs of infection, inflammation, and digestive diseases and disorders.

How to check for blood in stool?

Your doctor will have you bend over a table or lie on your side while holding your knees close to your chest. After putting on a glove, the doctor will slide a lubricated finger into your anus to check for blood in your stool.

What does a physical exam show?

Physical exam. During a physical exam, your doctor may check your blood pressure and pulse for signs of dehydration. Sometimes, doctors perform a digital rectal exam. Your doctor will have you bend over a table or lie on your side while holding your knees close to your chest.

Can a physical exam diagnose gastroenteritis?

In some cases, a medical history, a physical exam, and stool tests can help diagnose viral gastroenteritis.

How long does stomach flu last?

Although the term has flu in it, it is not a true flu. Symptoms that include vomiting and diarrhea, fever and stomach pain can last for one to three days depending on the cause.

What is the term for stomach flu?

A more accurate term for stomach flu is gastroenteritis, which occurs when the linings of the stomach and small intestine become inflamed. Most stomach flu is actually viral gastroenteritis. Viral gastroenteritis usually passes fairly quickly and doesn't have lasting effects.

What are the three types of viruses that cause stomach flu?

Other viruses. Stomach flu can be caused by three other classes of viruses: adenovirus, sapovirus, and astrovirus. Each of these may account for 2-9% of cases, affecting children more than adults. Recently a number of novel viruses have been identified in the human gastrointestinal tract.

What happens if you eat the same food as someone with the stomach flu?

If you've recently been around someone with a similar illness, you probably caught a case of stomach flu. If you have eaten food that is easily contaminated, such as seafood, salad greens, dairy products, or undercooked eggs or meat, you may have food poisoning. Of course, if a companion ate the same food and also became ill, ...

How long does it take for food poisoning to show up?

Nausea. Vomiting. Diarrhea. Fever. Abdominal (stomach) pain and cramping. Symptoms and signs of food poisoning show up earlier (2 hours up to a couple of days) in comparison to the stomach flu in which symptoms may take 4 hours up to 48 hours (2 days) before symptoms begin.

What are the symptoms of gastroenteritis?

The most common signs and symptoms of gastroenteritis are nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. The most common cause of gastroenteritis in the United States is Norovirus. Other causes of gastroenteritis include Rotavirus, Astrovirus, Adenovirus, and Sapovirus.

How to tell if you need to see a doctor for a baby?

With babies, look for a lack of tears and unusual sleepiness or crankiness , along with a low number of wet diapers. Other signs that you need to see a doctor include severe abdominal pain, diarrhea lasting more than 48 hours, and blood in the stool.

Overview

Symptoms

Causes

Risk Factors

Complications

Prevention

• Although it's commonly called stomach flu, gastroenteritis isn't the same as influenza. The flu (influenza) affects only your respiratory system — your nose, throat and lungs. Gastroenteritis, on the other hand, attacks your intestines, causing signs and symptoms such as: 1. Watery, usually nonbloody diarrhea — bloody diarrhea usually means you hav...

See more on mayoclinic.org