Gastroenteritis is usually called the stomach flu and is commonly applied to those who are experiencing diarrhea and vomiting. However, the condition actually has nothing to do with any kind of flu, as it is your intestines that are inflamed and irritated, usually due to a bacterial or viral infection.

Symptoms

The most common symptoms of stomach flu are vomiting and diarrhea, but you may also experience and feel headaches, nausea, fever, cramping and stomach pain. Due to vomiting and diarrhea, dehydration might also occur which can be very dangerous. The most common symptoms of dehydration are dry mouth, dry lips and a feeling of light headedness, so if you experience any of these symptoms you should call your doctor immediately.

Children are especially vulnerable to stomach flu and dehydration, so notify your doctor if you see any of those symptoms manifest. This condition can also affect babies, a frequent sign being dry diapers. If your child has symptoms of gastroenteritis, keep them out of school until all the symptoms have disappeared.

Causes

There are many ways which you can acquire stomach flu, the most common being in contact with someone who is afflicted with the virus. Other frequent causes are contaminated water and food and not washing hands after changing a diaper or using the bathroom.

Viruses and Bacteria

Stomach flu may be caused by a virus or bacteria, with the norovirus and rotavirus among the most common. The rotavirus is the most frequent culprit of diarrhea in children and infants, while norovirus is the most common source of foodborne diseases in the United States.

Aside from viruses, bacteria like salmonella and E.coli can bring about stomach flu. In fact, salmonella and campylobacter bacteria are the most frequent bacterial causes of stomach flu in the United States. Salmonella is usually spread through live poultry or pet reptiles, while other bacteria carrying the disease spread in poultry juices, eggs and undercooked poultry.

Shigella is another bacteria that causes gastroenteritis and is usually transmitted in day care centers. The most common methods of transmission are dirty water and contaminated food, and it spreads from individual to individual.

Other Possible Causes

On rare occasions you can get stomach flu from parasites and organisms like cryptosporidium and giardia which are usually found in contaminated water and swimming pools. In rare cases, you can also contract the disease in heavy metals like arsenic or mercury, which sometimes find their way in drinking water.

Some sensitive people might suffer from stomach flu if they eat a lot of tomatoes, citrus fruit and other acidic foods. In addition, gastroenteritis might manifest as a side effect of some drugs, laxatives and chemotherapy treatments.

Non-Infectious Causes

Gastroenteritis may have other non-infectious causes, such as NSAIDs and other medications, as well as gluten (those afflicted with celiac disease) and lactose (intolerant).

Clinical Diagnosis

Once the symptoms have manifested you need to consult a doctor, and the diagnosis will be done in the clinic. Your doctor will perform the diagnosis based on the symptoms and signs, and usually determining the precise cause is not necessary because it won’t change the way the condition will be treated. However, more tests will be required if the patient exhibits other symptoms like blood in the stool. If there are symptoms of dehydration, the kidneys and electrolytes will have to be examined as well.

Treatment and Medication

There are several ways to treat gastroenteritis, but the one medication your doctor is likely to prescribe is Azithromycin. Available under several brand names like Zeto, Azi-Once, Penalox and Azocam, it is an antibiotic designed to treat different kinds of bacterial infections including stomach flu, sinusitis, bronchitis, strep throat and various kinds of ear infections.

Azithromycin is also effective in preventing bacterial infections among people with weak immune systems and infants. Aside from the diseases mentioned above, the drug is also effective for treating various kinds of sexually transmitted diseases including cervicitis, chlamydia, nongonococcal urethritis and more. There are also some preliminary studies indicating that the drug might be effective in treating late-onset asthma.

The drug is also used for treating different types of infections including salmonellosis, toxoplasmosis, pelvic inflammatory disease, malaria, Lyme disease and many more. Doctors might also prescribe the drug to treat skin structure infections, and it is also a second line medication for strep throat and is a substitute for those who are allergic to penicillin.

The efficiency of azithromycin is widely recognized and accepted, and the World Health Organization actually has it on their list of essential medicines.

Please bear in mind that for children less than 5 years of age, drugs for controlling vomiting and diarrhea are not usually given, so consult your doctor if symptoms persist. There are actually vaccines that may be administered to infants to prevent stomach flu infection, something your doctor can provide.