Infectious gastroenteritis - acute intestinal infection in children and adults, etiology, severe and moderate severity, symptoms, treatment and diet, ICD 10

Severe intestinal and general symptoms, which often result in severe dehydration, occur in a person when an infectious gastroenteritis develops. This acute and often very severe disease with not always clarified etiology can occur both in children and in adult patients.

Gastroenteritis infection can be attributed to anthroponogenic diseases that have a viral genesis. It is always acute enough and is transmitted by the fecal-oral route. The causative agent of this pathology, related to RNA genomic viruses, affects the mucous oropharynx and small intestine.

Etiology of infectious gastroenteritis

In the acute form of this gastroenteritis, the cause of the occurrence is most often found in infection caused by viruses or bacteria that get from the outside into the digestive organs and destroy their walls. By the severity of the course of the disease, a light, medium and heavy degree is recognized. Each of them differs in the main symptomatology and the time it takes to completely recover the patient. Among the signs of these 3 forms of pathology, the following can be named:

1. The mild course of the intestinal pathology caused by infections is accompanied by infrequent diarrhea and vomiting at practically unimpaired body temperature. There is no dehydration;
2. Infection of moderate gastroenteritis is characterized by frequent vomiting and diarrhea, raising the temperature to 38.5º C and mild dehydration( dry skin and severe thirst);
3. Gastroenteritis of infectious etiology of severe degree in children and adults can cause convulsions, loss of consciousness, collapse and possible fatal outcome due to a rise in body temperature up to 40 ° C, very frequent vomiting and diarrhea occurring more than 10-15 times a day andsevere dehydration symptoms.

According to the International Classification of Diseases( ICD 10), this form of pathology with unknown etiology and pronounced symptoms refers to code A09, which tells the specialist that the disease is of presumed infectious origin. Also, the doctor, thanks to the data systematized in the ICD-10, immediately understands that if there is no clarification, the code A09 can be considered as gastroenteritis due to eating disorders, alcohol abuse or drug poisoning and refer to the K52 code. In addition, thanks to ICD 10, doctors around the world have the opportunity to select the appropriate treatment, which is described in this guide for each pathology.

Treatment of infectious gastroenteritis

For moderate and severe degrees of infectious gastroenteritis, therapy is performed in a hospital setting and includes:

• Gastric lavage, which is performed first;
• The appointment of symptomatic remedies for the removal of the main symptoms of the pathology: fever, frequent vomiting and diarrhea;
• Antiviral drugs or antibiotics;
• Means that can restore the microflora of the digestive system.

All this necessary medical treatment of infectious gastroenteritis in children and adults should be carried out only against the background of a strict diet, which is the basis of therapy for this disease. Its use in any treatment for this disease is necessary for the reason that only dietary nutrition contributes to the reduction of inflammatory phenomena occurring on the gastric mucosa and small intestine and the normalization of their secretory and motor functions.

Diet for acute infectious gastroenteritis with any etiology in children and adults should contain an increased amount of calcium salts, as well as vitamins B and PP.Protein per day for patients with this disease requires not less than 140-150 grams. From the diet of patients with infectious gastroenteritis, all products that can irritatively affect the intestinal and gastric mucosa.

Prevention of infectious gastroenteritis

Due to the fact that the consequences of this pathology can be quite terrible, up to a lethal outcome, it is very important not only for its treatment, but also for taking the necessary preventive measures in order to avoid the development of infectious gastroenteritis. To do this, first of all, you should start eating properly, which is not only the use of dietary products that are unable to harm the mucosa, but also that the dishes are prepared in a careful way after having undergone the necessary heat treatment.

In addition, preventive measures are included in both food hygiene and personal. Therefore, in no case should you eat food purchased on street trays, as well as unwashed vegetables and fruits purchased in spontaneous markets. Do not forget that before every meal, you should thoroughly wash your hands.