Intestinal flu: symptoms and treatment in adults. Common types of viral intestinal infections

Intestinal flu is one of the names for rotavirus infection and gastroenteritis. This disease develops quickly after pathogens enter the body of a child or adult. Most often they are rotaviruses, adenoviruses or noroviruses. During their life, they produce toxic compounds that cause inflammation of the mucous membranes of the digestive organs. Children especially suffer from gastrointestinal infections, since it lasts much longer and more severely in children than in adults. Before treating a dangerous intestinal flu, gastroenterologists conduct a complete examination of the patient to assess the general state of health and detect the type of pathogenic infectious agent.

The right approach to treatment

Intestinal flu is dangerous due to the high probability of infecting family members. Therefore, at the beginning of treatment, all safety measures should be taken to completely eliminate the transmission of viruses. A child or an adult needs to be provided with separate dishes, a towel, and washing supplies. Relatives need to care for sick people wearing medical masks, and then treat their faces and hands with disinfectant solutions.

Treatment of an infectious disease is complex, aimed both at eliminating pathogenic pathogens and at reducing the severity of symptoms - nausea, diarrhea, vomiting. Full recovery occurs after a week if the patient follows all medical recommendations. In the treatment of intestinal flu, pharmacological drugs are used for the following purposes:

• restoration of the supply of mineral compounds and biologically active substances that are excreted from the body along with vomiting and diarrhea;
• increasing the resistance of a child or adult to pathogens of viral infections;
• normalization of the gastrointestinal tract;
• restoration of peristalsis.

Treatment of intestinal flu at home without medical intervention is impractical, and for young children it is also very dangerous. The infection provokes dehydration a day after the onset of vomiting and diarrhea. Loss of only 10% of fluid by a newborn's body can cause death. This is explained by the rapidly developing deficiency of microelements (potassium, sodium, magnesium), without which the normal functioning of all vital systems is impossible.

Separately, it is worth noting the uselessness of antibiotics in the treatment of intestinal flu. Drugs with antibacterial activity do not have any effect on rotaviruses or noroviruses. The use of such drugs will lead to a sharp decrease in immunity and the death of beneficial microflora in the intestines. This will significantly complicate the patient’s condition and delay recovery for a long time.

Therapy of infectious pathology

When staphylococci or streptococci become the causative agent of an intestinal infection, then after determining their sensitivity, antibiotic therapy is carried out to quickly eliminate harmful bacteria. Unfortunately, there are no effective drugs to kill viruses yet. Modern antiviral drugs exhibit more immunomodulatory effects, often without any evidence base. Therefore, gastroenterologists use drugs in therapy that reduce the severity of symptoms and relieve the body of the consequences of the negative effects of pathogens.

Replenishment of water and electrolyte balance

Treatment of intestinal flu is always accompanied by taking large amounts of fluid. Gastroenterologists prescribe rehydration medications, which include mineral salts of potassium and sodium, as well as dextrose to restore the body's energy reserves. The most effective are:

• Hydrovit,
• Regidron.

The drugs are available in powder form. To prepare a medicinal solution, you need to dilute the contents of one packet in a liter of warm boiled water, which should be drunk during the day. The difficulty of taking medications lies in the complete lack of appetite due to nausea and vomiting. But it is necessary to feed the sick person, otherwise dehydration will inevitably occur. In this case, the person is given a dilution of just a tablespoon, but often every 15–20 minutes.

If a child or adult has vomiting or diarrhea, and there is no opportunity to purchase rehydration medications yet, you can temporarily make do with available means. To do this, you should prepare an isotonic solution yourself - you need to dilute 9 g (a little less than a teaspoon) of ordinary table salt and 3 tablespoons of sugar in a liter of water. Suitable additional drinks include:

• chamomile tea;
• rosehip infusion or rosehip syrup diluted with water;
• table mineral waters – Essentuki No. 2 or No. 4, Slavyanovskaya, Borjomi, Narzan;
• green or black strong tea;
• water with a slice of lemon;
• fruit compotes;
• berry fruit drinks.

Drinking plenty of fluids not only replenishes the supply of mineral compounds, but also flushes pathogenic pathogens from the body, as well as harmful products of their vital activity. If the child does not have vomiting or diarrhea, but his temperature is elevated, then taking additional fluid is also necessary.

Polyphepan is used in the treatment of intestinal flu to remove waste and toxins from the body.

Application of enterosorbents

Intestinal flu in children and adults often occurs against the background of disruption of the gastrointestinal tract and peristalsis disorders. A person suffers from symptoms of flatulence - increased gas formation, bloating, nausea, belching, diarrhea. To eliminate these negative signs, gastroenterologists prescribe sorbents:

• activated carbon,
• Enterosgelya,
• Filtrum-sti,
• Polysorb,
• Polyphepan.

These medications absorb harmful substances on their surface and promote the fairly rapid removal of toxins, pathogenic bacteria, and viruses from the body. Due to their natural origin, these products are very well tolerated by both young children and adults. One of the advantages of sorbents is the lack of metabolism. After binding viruses and toxic compounds, they are immediately eliminated from the body unchanged.

Restoration of intestinal microflora

The penetration of viruses into the human gastrointestinal tract causes the death of beneficial bacteria. Without these microorganisms, digestion is gradually disrupted and peristalsis is disrupted. Treatment of dysbiosis begins after the acute stage of intestinal flu has passed. The most effective drugs containing bifidobacteria and lactobacilli have proven themselves in the treatment of this infectious pathology:

• Atsipol,
• Linux,
• Hilak-forte,
• Bifidumbacterin,
• Lactobacterin.

After taking eubiotics, beneficial bacteria begin to multiply in the intestines, releasing substances that create an acidic environment. Such conditions are extremely unfavorable for pathogenic microorganisms, so they stop growing and die. Restoring intestinal microflora helps improve the immunity of adults and children.

For intestinal flu, Linex restores beneficial intestinal microflora

Decreased body temperature

Almost all intestinal infections are accompanied by hyperthermia. Viruses provoke general intoxication of the body, the symptoms of which include fever. In this way, the immune system tries to destroy gastroenteritis pathogens. If the body temperature has risen no higher than subfebrile values ​​(38 °C), then it cannot be brought down.

For intestinal flu, such indicators are an effective means of getting rid of pathogenic pathogens. But with a significant increase in body temperature, you cannot do without taking antipyretic drugs:

• Paracetamol (Efferalgan, Panadol),
• Ibuprofen (Ibufen, Nurofen),
• Nimesulide (Nimesil).

These medications have antipyretic and analgesic effects, which is important for frequent joint aches. People with chronic stomach conditions should take anti-inflammatory drugs with caution. To prevent damage to the mucous membranes, Nimesulide and Ibuprofen should be used together with proton pump inhibitors - Omeprazole, Ultop, Nolpaza.

Pediatricians and gastroenterologists advise parents to focus on the general condition of the baby. If a child feels tolerable with hyperthermia with values ​​of 38.5–38.7 °C, then it is better to hold off on taking antipyretics - this will only speed up the destruction of rotaviruses. Some children do not tolerate even low-grade body temperature. In this case, you should immediately give the child sweet syrup.

Improved digestion

Intestinal flu in adults and children occurs against the background of a complete lack of appetite. The reason for this is high temperature, peristalsis disorder and digestive disorders. The organs of the gastrointestinal tract sharply reduce the production of biologically active compounds necessary for the proper metabolism of fats, proteins and carbohydrates. To facilitate the digestion and absorption of food, you should take medications with digestive enzymes:

• Mezim forte,
• Panzinorm forte,
• Festal,
• Enzistal,
• Creon 10,000 or 25,000 units.

The dosage and duration of administration are determined by the attending physician, assessing the patient’s general health, his age, and the presence of diseases in the anamnesis.

Digestive enzymes are of no small importance in the treatment of intestinal flu.

Normalization of peristalsis

Diarrhea is one of the main symptoms that allows you to quickly diagnose intestinal flu. Widely advertised drugs for quickly eliminating diarrhea in this case will cause irreparable harm to the health of a person, especially a child. With the help of diarrhea, the body tries to get rid of pathogens. After taking Imodium or its structural analogue Loperamide, the frequency of bowel movements is significantly reduced. All viruses remain in the gastrointestinal tract and begin to multiply rapidly.

Drugs that have a bacteriostatic and, in high doses, a bactericidal effect will help:

• Enterofuril,
• Ersefuril,
• Stopdiar.

The main active ingredient of these drugs is Nifuroxazide. It inhibits the production of exotoxins by pathogenic viruses, which leads to less irritation of epithelial cells. The release of fluid into the intestinal lumen is also reduced. In addition, Nifuroxazide helps to increase phagocytic activity and increases the body's resistance to viral infections.

Stopping attacks of vomiting

Vomiting is the same protective reaction of the immune system as diarrhea. Gastroenterologists resort to the help of antiemetic drugs only in extreme cases, when a negative symptom of intestinal flu threatens the general state of health and causes a long-term lack of appetite. To relieve attacks of vomiting, two structural analogues are used:

• Cerucal,
• Metoclopramide.

These medications cannot be used without the prescription of the treating gastroenterologist. They have a significant number of side effects and contraindications. Exceeding the dose may cause complications and slow recovery. A small child with frequent vomiting must be urgently hospitalized for treatment in a hospital setting.

Use of enveloping agents

Despite the short duration of intestinal flu, with proper treatment, viruses manage to severely damage the mucous membrane of the gastrointestinal tract. To prevent the development of events in such a negative scenario, gastroenterologists prescribe the following drugs:

• De-Nol,
• Novobismol.

The active ingredient of medicines is bismuth tripotassium dicitrate. The chemical compound creates a protective coating on the inner wall of the stomach, helping to avoid the negative effects of viral exotoxins. Enveloping drugs also promote rapid regeneration of epithelial cells and healing of ulcerative lesions.

The use of Enterofuril allows you to quickly stop diarrhea, which often occurs with intestinal flu

Diet food

It is necessary to treat stomach flu only by following a strict diet, otherwise recovery will be greatly delayed. On the first day of therapy, patients are shown complete fasting, which is not difficult due to constant nausea and vomiting. In the next few days, you need to exclude from the daily menu:

• fatty meats and fish;
• all vegetable crops;
• rich soups;
• any pastries;
• chocolate.

Eating such foods increases the load on the gastrointestinal tract, slows down digestion, and increases excess gas formation. Therefore, the patient’s diet should include:

• low-fat broths;
• liquid rice porridge;
• white bread croutons;
• puree soups;
• cracker.

During therapy, you can drink tea sweetened with honey and low-fat kefir. In the first days of treatment, you should not eat fruits and berries. Deficiency of vitamins and mineral compounds should be eliminated by taking Vitrum, Alphabet, Centrum, Selmevit, Complivit.

Only highly specialized doctors - gastroenterologists - know how to treat intestinal flu.

Laboratory and instrumental studies are of no small importance in drawing up an effective therapeutic regimen. Timely access to a hospital will help avoid dangerous complications and significantly speed up full recovery.

Diseases caused by a viral infection and having a number of characteristic symptoms are popularly called intestinal or stomach flu. In fact, such an acute pathology associated with damage to the intestinal mucosa is not, in fact, the flu. Diseases are provoked by ARVI viruses of the order Rotavirus or Reoviridae, which enter the human body along with water and food, as well as through household and airborne droplets.

In medicine, intestinal flu is called gastroenteritis or, in other words, rotavirus infection. So, why is such a pathology dangerous for the patient? How is the disease transmitted and how to treat it? And is it possible to avoid infection?

Mechanism of disease development

Like regular flu, gastroenteritis is transmitted from a sick person to healthy children and adults. However, you can get this type of stomach infection in many ways:

• contacting a carrier of the virus;
• swimming in pools and ponds or drinking unboiled water;
• in kindergarten through toys;
• if you don't wash your hands;
• when ingesting contaminated products.

Having penetrated the human body, the intestinal influenza virus is activated and begins to multiply intensively, affecting intestinal epithelial cells. After 16–18 hours after infection, the cells affected by the virus are completely destroyed. Their remains fall off or are exfoliated into the intestinal lumen, accumulate in the lower gastrointestinal tract and are excreted along with feces. At the same time, the exposed villi of the upper part of the small intestine or duodenum begin to swell and change shape, and in the upper balls of the intestinal mucosa the depth of the crypts quickly increases.

Important! The intestinal form of influenza poses a serious danger to children whose immune system is not fully formed. And also for older people whose immunity is already quite weakened.

Symptoms and external manifestations

The first signs of the stomach flu are absolutely similar to the symptoms of a cold. In the first hours after infection, patients may experience a slight runny nose, sneezing and coughing, pain when swallowing, sore throat, and slight chills.
However, these signs quickly disappear, and their place is taken by completely different symptoms:

• frequent loose stools up to 10 times a day. In this case, abundant bowel movements of a yellowish-gray color and clay-like consistency are observed, but without inclusions of blood and mucus. At first they have a strong unpleasant odor;
• sharp pain in the abdominal area, accompanied by rumbling and spasms;
• increasing nausea and periodic vomiting, leading to rapid dehydration;
• increasing weakness, drowsiness and apathy;
• increase in body temperature to subfebrile (sometimes high) levels.

Moreover, the manifestation of such symptoms in children and adults can be a sign of other intestinal infections - cholera, salmonellosis, food poisoning. Therefore, at the first manifestations of the disease, you should contact a medical institution for help. Timely diagnosis of intestinal flu will help preserve not only the patient’s health, but in some cases his life.

Important! Intestinal flu in a child quite often requires immediate hospitalization and inpatient treatment. This means that parents need to urgently call a pediatrician or an ambulance if they detect even 1-2 symptoms of the disease (especially if it is diarrhea or vomiting). Untimely medical care can cause the baby's death.

Diagnosis and treatment

As such, there is no specific drug treatment for rotavirus infection. This means that the entire range of therapeutic measures is aimed at eliminating the symptoms of intestinal flu and strengthening the body’s defenses in the fight against viral infection.

To clarify the diagnosis, the attending physician may prescribe additional examinations, including:

• a general blood test, the result of which may show a decrease in the total number of leukocytes and a predominance of lymphocytes and monocytes (this speaks in favor of a viral infection);
• A general urine test in the presence of gastroenteritis will show an increase in its density;
• A biochemical blood test makes it possible to determine the increase in the concentration in the blood of the indirect fraction of bilirubin, as well as ALT and AST.

Intestinal flu should be treated only under the supervision of a doctor, following all his recommendations and wishes. Treatment consists of taking medications that normalize the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and a special diet. To restore the body you should take:

• enterosorbents – Smecta or Polysorb;
• as part of rehydration therapy - the drug Regidron. It must be taken every 20–30 minutes to restore the water-salt balance in the body;
• enzymes that improve digestion - Creon or Pancreatin;
• drugs against diarrhea - Furazolidone or Enterofuril.

After intensive therapy and elimination of the symptoms of the disease, probiotics are prescribed to restore the beneficial intestinal microflora - Linex, Bifiform, Hilak Forte. It is not recommended to take antibiotics to fight the virus, since these drugs completely destroy both aggressive and beneficial intestinal microflora. By killing intestinal flu with the help of such drugs, you can get a dangerous complication in return - dysbiosis.

Important! Gastroenteritis is a serious disease that sometimes requires treatment in a hospital setting. Therefore, self-medication and uncontrolled use of traditional medicine is strictly prohibited. Self-medication can even lead to death.

Diet for illness and prevention

A special diet is an effective addition to the treatment of intestinal flu and is an excellent way to quickly recover from an illness. Primarily useful are:

• herbal decoctions with chamomile, rose hips, strong green and black tea;
• liquid porridges prepared in water: semolina, rice or oatmeal;
• vegetable soups from potatoes, carrots, onions, zucchini, beets;
• mild broths made from skinless chicken, turkey, rabbit, lean beef.

Food should be taken in small portions, warm, every 3-4 hours.

In this case, the following should be excluded from the diet for a while:

• raw vegetables and fruits;
• natural juices;
• grain bread;
• whole milk, butter, cheeses;
• cereals;
• smoked meats;
• legumes;
• canned foods;
• chocolate and coffee.

It is also prohibited to smoke, eat fatty, spicy and fried foods, alcoholic and carbonated drinks.
There is no doubt that stomach flu is easier to prevent than to treat. Therefore, it is very important to follow a number of rules for preventing this disease, namely:

• wash your hands after coming from outside, visiting the toilet and before eating;
• wash fruits and vegetables eaten raw in plenty of running water (you can pre-soak them in a 3% vinegar solution for several minutes);
• drink only boiled water (even if it is from a well or spring);
• wash children's toys and pour boiling water over them more often;
• Avoid swimming in open water.

Important! The virus of the Reoviridae group is resistant to environmental influences; it tolerates cold and low temperatures well. At the same time, simple preventive measures make it possible to destroy the virus before it enters the body, and will not become infected with the dangerous and insidious intestinal flu.

Viral intestinal infection is a disease that can have a relatively mild or severe course.

If you want to learn about what types of viruses can infect the mucous membranes of the intestines, as well as how to treat the consequences of an infectious infection of the body, then read this article.

Common types of intestinal viruses

There are several types of viruses that provoke intestinal infections in adults and children, but the most common among them are:

• rotaviruses;
• adenoviruses;
• enteroviruses.

The incubation period for infection with this non-cellular infectious agent can range from one to three days. The mode of transmission of rotavirus is fecal-oral.

You can become infected with this type of non-cellular infectious agent by consuming poorly washed vegetables and fruits, insufficiently heat-treated dishes, or untreated water.

In addition, this virus can also be transmitted by airborne droplets from an infected person who is in the active phase of an infectious disease.

Rotavirus disease has an acute onset, characterized by severe symptoms. Both adults and children can suffer from it, but the latter suffer from this intestinal infectious disease in severe forms.

An infection caused by an adenovirus affects the lymphoid tissues of the body and has a negative effect not only on the intestinal system, but also on the lining of the respiratory tract, as well as on the mucous membranes of the patients’ eyes.

Adenovirus is transmitted by the fecal-oral route through airborne infection. This infection is more often observed not in adults, but in young children. The disease must be treated under the supervision of a doctor.

In acute forms of infection, patients may be referred for treatment in a hospital setting.

Unlike rotavirus, which does not cause critical complications to the human body, adenovirus can provoke the rapid development of otitis media, sinusitis, tonsillitis and even acute forms of pneumonia, as well as aggravate the course of various chronic intestinal diseases.

Enterovirus infection is transmitted through household items used by an infected person, as well as through airborne droplets.

Enteroviruses are divided into five large groups that provoke various pathologies:

• rhinoviruses (colds and fevers);
• aphthoviruses (foot and mouth disease);
• hepatoviruses (hepatitis A);
• cardioviruses (encephalomyocarditis);
• enteroviruses that cause severe disorders of the intestinal system.

Infection with these types of non-cellular infectious agents can cause serious harm to the human body.

The symptoms characteristic of these infectious intestinal diseases differ significantly from the symptoms provoked by rota and adenoviruses.

Symptoms of viral infections of the intestinal system

The symptoms of these diseases are typical for both adults and children.

It should be noted that adults with strong immunity tolerate viral infections more easily, which cannot be said about children and the elderly, as well as those who become infected after an illness.

Symptoms of rotavirus intestinal infection:

• high temperature (up to 39-40 degrees Celsius);
• nausea, profuse vomiting, bringing relief;
• prolonged, regular diarrhea (yellow or whitish);
• signs of respiratory infections (for example, runny nose or conjunctivitis);
• pain localized in the lower third of the abdomen and having a diffuse nature;
• moderate mucus content in stool;
• headaches, refusal to eat;
• severe dehydration caused by vomiting and diarrhea;
• apathy, drowsiness.

Palpation of the infected abdominal area may cause loud rumbling. With severe intoxication of the body, yellowing of the sclera of the patient's eyes and skin may occur.

As a rule, a combination of pathological processes such as gastroenteritis and inflammation of the upper respiratory tract can indicate the presence of rotavirus intestinal infection.

Symptoms characteristic of adenoviral intestinal damage:

• severe intoxication of the body;
• stable temperature up to 40 degrees Celsius (can last for a week);
• copious watery stools (on average up to five to seven times a day);
• vomiting observed in the first two to three days after infection;
• enlarged lymph nodes;
• inflammation of the oral mucosa;
• conjunctivitis.

This type of infectious disease can be determined by severe intoxication of the body, as well as by the presence of concomitant inflammatory processes occurring in extraintestinal areas of the human body.

Symptoms of enteroviral intestinal infection:

• high temperature (up to forty degrees Celsius);
• aches in muscles and joints, cramps;
• severe inflammation localized in the nasopharynx;
• photophobia;
• heartache;
• conjunctivitis, accompanied by increased tearing;
• vomiting, diarrhea.

Despite the fact that there are special signs of a particular infectious lesion of the body, diseases provoked by non-cellular infectious agents have similar symptoms.

That is why seeing a doctor if you have some of the symptoms discussed in this paragraph of the article is a necessary measure.

It is possible to determine the type of viral infection and prescribe the correct treatment only by focusing on test data obtained during laboratory tests of urine, feces and blood.

Failure to see a doctor in a timely manner is fraught with serious complications that will have to be treated for a long time.

How are they treated?

Note! Information about the treatment of intestinal viral infections is provided in this article for informational purposes only.

Only a competent doctor can prescribe the correct treatment.

So, how to treat intestinal rota-, adeno- and enterovirus infections?

Treatment of the diseases they provoke involves the following measures:

• combating dehydration;
• detoxification of the body;
• normalization of enzyme metabolism.

Diarrhea and vomiting are symptoms characteristic of any intestinal infection. Despite the fact that sometimes they are painfully tolerated by patients, with their help the body gets rid of the viral presence.

However, these symptoms can lead to the human body beginning to suffer from severe dehydration, which cannot be allowed to happen.

You can get rid of dehydration characteristic of viral infections by drinking plenty of water.

In some cases, to restore the water-salt balance, special medications should be used, for example, “Regidron”, saturated with potassium, sodium, chlorine and other useful elements in the required concentration.

Treatment with Regidron can be carried out both in hospitals and at home.

As an analogue of this drug, you can use a product such as “Citroglucosolan”, which has a similar effect.

Treatment of intestinal infections is unthinkable without taking sorbents, which absorb potentially harmful substances found in the intestines and remove them from the body.

In addition, many drugs of this spectrum may not cure, but stop vomiting and diarrhea.

Smecta, Neosmectin, Polyphepan and other drugs are prescribed as sorbents for intestinal infections.

Activated carbon, which is the most famous sorbent, can also be used in the presence of intestinal infections, but it is worth remembering that this drug has a relatively weak effect.

Treatment with sorbents must be carried out according to a certain scheme.

They should be consumed an hour and a half before eating or taking other medications, so as not to interfere with their action.

Treatment that can reduce the symptoms of intestinal disorders caused by inflammatory processes should be carried out using enzyme-rich drugs.

Such drugs normalize digestive processes and promote the rapid restoration of damaged intestinal mucosa.

They should be taken before meals, in the dosage prescribed by the doctor. The most popular drugs in this spectrum are Mezim, Creon, Festal, Pantsirat, etc.

In some cases, it is necessary to treat the consequences of an intestinal infection with the help of drugs that restore the balance of beneficial microflora in the intestines.

Sometimes antispasmodic and antipyretic drugs are used to relieve severe symptoms of infections, such as severe pain or fever.

It is important to understand that some of the drugs mentioned in this paragraph of the article are only suitable for adults, but not for children.

Only a qualified doctor can adequately select medications that will help neutralize the symptoms of an infectious infection.

Diet for intestinal infections

All types of intestinal infections discussed in this article have a serious impact on the mucous membranes of the gastrointestinal tract.

To normalize the functioning of organs that have been subjected to inflammatory and destructive influences, you should adhere to proper nutrition.

There is a special diet that is prescribed by gastroenterologists to patients suffering from intestinal infections.

It is called “Healing Table No. 4” and is relevant not only for adults, but also for children. You can find the basic recommendations for such nutrition below.

With thorough adherence to the nutritional principles regulated by this diet, it is possible to achieve a significant improvement in the patient’s condition already in the first days of the acute phase.

The diet prescribed for intestinal disorders involves complete abstinence from the following food groups:

• fatty meats, fish and poultry, offal;
• sour fruits, berries, as well as juices prepared from them;
• vegetables that provoke fermentation processes in the stomach (cabbage, beets, root vegetables, etc.);
• sweets;
• vegetable and animal oils;
• milk;
• pastries and bread;
• cereal porridge;
• alcohol, coffee, carbonated drinks.

Products that should fill the diet of adults and children suffering from intestinal infections:

• fermented milk products;
• lean poultry and fish;
• vegetable broths;
• sweet fruits;
• vegetables (except prohibited ones);
• rice and buckwheat porridges;
• jelly, herbal teas, still mineral water.

During the treatment of infectious diseases caused by certain types of viruses, which were discussed in the article, the intake of spices, sugar and salt should be significantly limited.

Salt can be consumed in a reduced dosage, but only to normalize the electrolyte balance in the body.

It is better to restore this balance by not eating excessively salty foods, but by using special medications rich in substances necessary for the body.

After reading this article, you were able to learn about common types of intestinal infections that affect the bodies of adults and children, and the symptoms that are characteristic of them.

Treatment that neutralizes the symptoms of infectious diseases must be comprehensive and prompt.

If you notice the first signs of infectious diseases, you should consult a doctor and follow his recommendations exactly.

After the infection has subsided, you should begin to restore the body’s strength and increase the immunity that has suffered in the fight for health.

Intestinal flu, stomach flu, gastroenteritis or rotavirus infection are names of the same disease, which is a frequent visitor in the summer. When it’s hot outside, all foods quickly deteriorate, becoming an excellent place of residence for many intestinal bacteria; it is very easy to become infected with rotavirus.

Intestinal flu is a viral infection that enters the body by absorption through the walls of the stomach or intestines. Children, the elderly and pregnant women suffer this disease the worst due to their weak immune system. The main danger with this disease is dehydration. Due to frequent vomiting and endless diarrhea, the body very quickly loses fluid, which can be fatal, especially in infants. Therefore, if you suspect an intestinal infection, children in the first three years of life simply need to be shown to a pediatrician. He will assess the situation and, if possible, give permission for home treatment. In other cases, treatment of young children should be carried out in a hospital setting.

Symptoms of intestinal flu

Symptoms of intestinal flu appear quite quickly, within a day after the virus enters the body. On average, the incubation period can last from 10 hours to 3-5 days. The speed at which symptoms appear and their intensity depends on the amount of virus that has entered the body, as well as on the patient’s immune system. The following symptoms are typical for rotavirus infection.

1. First, a slight manifestation of cold symptoms begins - the throat turns red and hurts when swallowing. A slight cough, runny nose, and frequent sneezing may appear. But these symptoms quickly pass, turning into more serious intestinal disorders. Such symptoms gave this type of virus the name “flu,” although intestinal flu has nothing in common with traditional flu.
2. At the beginning of the development of a viral infection, the patient develops weakness, body aches, and general malaise.
3. This is often accompanied by an intestinal disorder - diarrhea. The stool is loose and may be dark, light or green in color. The stool often bubbles and has a strong, unpleasant odor. This means that the fermentation process takes place in the intestines. If stool occurs more than 10 times per day, be sure to consult a doctor.
4. If blood or mucous patches are found in the stool, you need to see a doctor; perhaps you have another disease. These symptoms are not typical for rotavirus.
5. Vomit. This is another common symptom of stomach flu, although vomiting may not occur. If the patient feels nauseous, but does not vomit, it is better to induce it yourself. This will clear the stomach and possibly prevent the contaminated product from being completely absorbed.
6. The patient's stomach hurts, growls, and twists.
7. When the virus gets inside, the body begins to resist, which leads to an increase in temperature.
8. Typically, rotavirus is severe; if intoxicated, a person cannot lead a normal life. He is so weak that he constantly lies down, especially for children.

The acute period of rotavirus infection lasts no more than a week, usually 3-4 days. Then for about another week the patient recovers and comes to his senses. All this time, until complete recovery, the patient is considered infectious.

Causes of intestinal flu

Rotavirus infection is a disease of dirty hands. Often people get it if they start eating with dirty hands. An adult held money and handrails on public transport, a child played on the playground, and then put food in his mouth with unwashed hands - the virus easily enters the body. Also, an intestinal virus can be ingested with poor-quality or stale food. You need to be especially careful with perishable dairy products during the hot summer. You can also become infected from a patient with gastroenteritis - through household items or by airborne droplets.

Treatment of any viral infections is aimed at relieving intoxication, removing the virus from the body as quickly as possible and symptomatic treatment. Here are some consistent steps to take if a person gets the stomach flu.

1. The very first and most important thing is to replenish the water-salt balance. To do this, dissolve Regidron in a liter of water and drink in small portions throughout the day. If a child is sick, you need to drink it every 5-10 minutes, one teaspoon at a time. If you give your baby more, it will lead to another urge to vomit and all efforts will be in vain. If Regidron is not at hand, you can prepare a water-salt solution yourself. Dissolve a tablespoon of salt, 3 tablespoons of sugar and half a tablespoon of soda in a liter of water.
2. To fight the infection you need to take Furozolidone, Ersefuril or Enterofuril. These products are excellent at relieving intoxication because they kill the bacteria itself.
3. For diarrhea you should take Loperamide, Imodium, Levomycetin. The drug Enterozermina helps children very well.
4. If a person is suffering from vomiting, it can be suppressed with drugs such as Ondosetron, Cerucal. But they cannot be used by children without a doctor's prescription.
5. It is very important to take sorbents that will absorb the remaining toxins and remove them out. This could be Smecta, Activated carbon, Enterosgel, Filtrum. If you don’t have pharmaceutical drugs on hand, it’s very good to drink rice water. This glue-like mass not only stops diarrhea, but also absorbs toxic substances in the intestines and stomach.
6. Within a day, when the patient’s condition has stabilized a little, he will need to be fed. In addition to a gentle diet, the patient should take enzymes with food - Festal, Creon or similar drugs. They will help a sore stomach and upset intestines digest food.
7. After a few days, when the intoxication passes, the person will probably suffer from incessant diarrhea. This often happens because the intestinal microflora is disturbed. To restore it, you need to take a course of probiotics, which will help populate the intestines with beneficial bacteria. This could be Linex, Hilak Forte, Bifidumbacterin, Enterol.

In the acute phase of the disease, a person is unlikely to want to eat anything at all. And there is no need to force him. Now all the body’s forces are aimed at fighting the disease, and digesting food is an additional burden. After the acute period has passed, you can start eating crackers, low-fat chicken broth, rice and rice water, and oatmeal with water. No fermented milk products - they create an ideal environment for bacteria to multiply. Drinking plenty of fluids is very important. You need to drink a lot, only with the help of liquid can you speed up the removal of the virus from the body. Usually, children during the period of rotavirus infection are allowed everything that is usually prohibited - fruit drinks, compotes, juices. Rosehip infusion, green tea, and chamomile infusion help very well.

How to protect yourself from stomach flu

Contrary to popular belief, intestinal flu cannot be treated with antibiotics, since the cause of this disease is a virus. Stomach flu can be cured only by fighting the symptoms and eliminating the virus with fluids. To protect the body in the future, it is important to strengthen the immune system - eat right, toughen up, move more and spend time in the fresh air. These simple rules will help you avoid encountering such an unpleasant disease as intestinal flu.

Video: rotavirus infection - symptoms and treatment

Intestinal flu got its name due to the characteristics of its symptoms. The disease is caused by rotavirus infection and at the initial stage resembles a cold: the patient develops catarrhal symptoms on the mucous membranes of the nasopharynx and oropharynx, pain in the larynx, nasal discharge, and body temperature rises. On days 2-3, inflammation of the mucous membranes of the gastrointestinal tract occurs, and the signs of the disease resemble the clinical picture of digestive disorders. One of the manifestations of intestinal flu is viral gastroenteritis - a pathological inflammatory process that occurs in the lining of the small intestine and stomach.

Severe dehydration can be a complication of stomach flu. If this condition is not eliminated in a timely manner, the patient’s death may occur, so treatment for rotavirus infection must begin when the first typical symptoms appear. There is no special therapy to destroy the causative agent of the disease, and treatment in adults is aimed at eliminating intoxication, rehydrating the body and getting rid of unpleasant symptoms. After suffering from intestinal flu, the patient will have to follow a therapeutic diet and a gentle regime of physical activity for another 7-10 days.

Adults get stomach flu quite rarely compared to preschool children. This is due to the fact that adults pay more attention to personal hygiene, comply with food preparation and heat treatment standards, and more often monitor the expiration dates of food products. While children become infected primarily through dirty hands or toys touched by a sick person, in adults the main source of rotavirus is usually poor-quality food.

This could be food that has been stored incorrectly or is past its expiration date, or undercooked meat. Fans of rare steaks need to be especially careful when choosing meat, since poorly processed meat and fish are considered the leaders among products that lead to poisoning. Dairy products (including fermented milk drinks) are also considered particularly dangerous products. Under no circumstances should you consume dairy products with a suitable expiration date, even if they look quite edible in appearance.

Tap water can also become a source of contamination, so it must be boiled, even if a purifying filter is installed at home. For those who do not like boiled water, it is better to use spring water sold in stores for drinking.

You can become infected with rotavirus in other ways. The most common of them:

Important! Rotavirus actively multiplies in the mucous membranes of the digestive tract and is excreted from the body in the feces. If there is a person with an intestinal infection in the house, it is necessary to clean the toilet and disinfect the toilet every day to prevent infection of other family members.

How can you tell if a person has intestinal flu?

Diagnosing the disease at the initial stage is a rather difficult task, since the only symptoms in the first days of the disease are signs of respiratory diseases. The incubation period of rotavirus infection can range from 4-6 hours to 5 days. Its duration depends on the state of the person’s immune system, the amount of the pathogen and the degree of its activity.

On the first day of the disease, the patient may notice the following symptoms:

• an increase in temperature to 38°C or higher, accompanied by fever and chills;
• headache;
• pain in the throat when swallowing;
• dry cough of moderate intensity (usually not painful);
• discomfort in muscles and large joints;
• redness and looseness of the tissues of the oropharynx;
• sore throat.

Elderly people, as well as people with reduced immunity, smokers, and patients with alcohol addiction usually exhibit all of the above symptoms. The signs are of high intensity, intoxication of the body develops rapidly, worsening the condition and well-being of the patient. In patients over 55 years of age, discomfort and muscle discomfort can develop into pain.

What happens on days 2-3?

Approximately 2 days from the onset of the disease, the virus enters the mucous membranes of the stomach and intestines, causing characteristic intestinal symptoms. The patient begins to experience frequent diarrhea; the stool is very loose, watery, and has a foamy consistency. Repeated vomiting may occur. Vomit has the color of food consumed, without impurities of bile acids, blood and mucous streaks. The smell of the masses is normal, not offensive.

Abdominal pain with intestinal flu is acute and may resemble intestinal cramps. In addition to pain, the patient complains of flatulence, bloating and heaviness in the stomach (regardless of food intake).

Note! In about a third of patients, conjunctivitis appears within 2-3 days, a disease characterized by inflammation of the conjunctiva of the eye. Signs of viral conjunctivitis are clear discharge from the eyes, redness of the eye sclera, itching and burning.

How to treat stomach flu in adults?

Treatment of rotavirus infection in adult patients is symptomatic and can take place on an outpatient basis, if this possibility is allowed by the doctor who examined the patient. The main goal of intestinal flu therapy is to eliminate signs of intoxication and dehydration. To cleanse the blood and intestines of toxins released by rotavirus, the patient is prescribed sorbents. These are drugs that selectively absorb gases, solid and liquid substances and harmful vapors from the surrounding space.

The most effective sorbents to eliminate intoxication during intestinal infections are:

You need to take them several times a day, while simultaneously increasing the amount of liquid you drink. This is also necessary to eliminate dehydration. For this purpose, the patient is selected for rehydration therapy with saline solutions. They normalize water-salt balance, support kidney function and help restore normal moisture levels in the body. The most popular product in this group is “Regidron” in the form of a powder for preparing a solution. The contents of one package must be dissolved in a liter of boiled water and drunk in small sips throughout the day. If severe dehydration occurs, the patient will be hospitalized, and therapy will be supplemented with intravenous infusion of glucose and saline.

The medications listed in the table below may also be used to restore the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.

Note! After completion of treatment, the patient is given a course of vitamin maintenance therapy. It is important that the complex of vitamins and minerals be selected by a doctor, since an excess of some elements is just as harmful as their lack. For example, for diseases of the thyroid gland, you should choose drugs that do not contain iodine. If the patient suffers from hyperkalemia or hypermagnesemia, it is necessary to refrain from taking complexes containing magnesium and potassium.

Basics of symptomatic therapy in adults

Medicines to reduce fever are prescribed if the thermometer rises above 38°C. At lower values, the use of antipyretics is not advisable, since most rotaviruses die at this temperature, and its decrease may delay recovery. If the temperature has risen too high, you can take medications based on paracetamol or ibuprofen: Paracetamol, Nurofen, Ibufen. In some cases, the doctor may recommend combination drugs, for example, “Next”: they act faster and have a more pronounced therapeutic effect.

If the patient is bothered by a cough, therapy is supplemented with antitussive medications that act on the cough center and suppress the functioning of cough receptors.

These include:

Drinking plenty of fluids will also help relieve a cough and prevent irritation of the throat lining.

Important! In some cases, histamine blockers (Loratadine, Diazolin, Claritin) are used to treat intestinal flu. They are necessary for the prevention of allergic reactions and possible adverse reactions during multicomponent therapy.

Are antiviral agents needed?

Most infectious disease specialists believe that the use of antiviral drugs does not provide a significant therapeutic effect, and rotavirus dies on its own after 5-7 days. However, drugs in this group can weaken the activity of the virus during acute infection and activate cells of the immune system.

The prescription of antiviral drugs and immunomodulators is necessary for people with weakened immune systems, as well as those who suffer from bad habits or do not receive a well-balanced diet, since their immunity is not able to independently fight pathogenic microorganisms.

The role of therapeutic nutrition in treatment

During the acute course of the pathology (which is approximately 5-7 days), the patient must follow a diet excluding drinks and products based on milk protein. This is whole and pasteurized milk, kefir, cottage cheese, yoghurts and other products, the basis of which is any type of milk. Such a restriction is necessary since most microorganisms develop faster in a dairy environment. In addition, fermented milk products and whole milk can increase intestinal symptoms and lead to a decrease in the effectiveness of treatment.

To reduce the load on the inflamed intestines, it is important to consume all products in pureed or highly crushed form in the first 3-4 days. It is advisable to pass meat and fish through a meat grinder, grind vegetables and fruits to a pulp. Rice and oatmeal decoctions are useful during this period - they contain a lot of starch, due to which they envelop the walls of the gastrointestinal tract and protect it from damage. Fresh bread should be replaced with rye crackers.

Until complete recovery and for another 7-10 days after the illness, the following are completely excluded from the patient’s diet:

Important! It is necessary to gradually introduce raw vegetables and fruits, as well as dairy products, into the diet. It is recommended to start with a small amount of low-fat cottage cheese (no more than 50-60 g). On the third day, you can give the patient 100 ml of natural yogurt without additives. If everything is normal, the amount of dairy products is increased to the usual norm. Cow's milk is introduced into the menu last.

Intestinal flu is a fairly rare disease in adults, but there is no effective protection against rotavirus infection at any age. To reduce the likelihood of infection, it is necessary to carefully monitor the quality of food consumed and personal hygiene. Hand washing should be a mandatory procedure after returning from the street, visiting the restroom, and other actions related to unsanitary conditions.

In order for the immune system to fight viruses on its own, it is necessary to carry out general strengthening measures, eat right, walk more in the fresh air and provide the body with sufficient physical activity. If a person does become infected, it is necessary to strictly follow all the doctor’s recommendations and not refuse hospitalization if necessary, as there is a risk of dehydration.

Video - Intestinal flu in adults