Intestinal flu - a relatively new phenomenon, a few decades ago, it simply did not separate from the rest of intestinal infections. But in the seventies of the last century it was discovered the virus that causes intestinal flu, called rotavirus, and the disease itself has been called rotavirus.

Why and how could I get intestinal flu

Intestinal flu or rotavirus infection - an infectious disease characterized by the appearance of vomiting, watery stools, abdominal pain and intoxication.

The causative agent of intestinal flu is a human rotavirus, the source of infection - a sick man, who through his hands, household items and food can transmit the infection to human health. Particularly susceptible to this infection children up to four years, with more immature immune systems. It is believed that the adults in their lifetime has repeatedly met with rotavirus, and they have developed a relatively stable him immunity. However, in close contact with the sick and the adult is likely to fall ill. And one more feature of the disease: a man after a previous infection over time can be a carrier of infection and infect others.

Upon infection with rotavirus after half an hour it is possible to detect cells in the wall of the small intestine. Under the influence of the virus disrupted production of digestive enzymes, that contribute to the breakdown of complex sugars, as a result of accumulation in the intestine uncleaved carbohydrates, which leads to the Push-Pull fluid and causes watery diarrhea.

Symptoms of intestinal flu

The incubation period (time from infection until the first signs of the disease), intestinal flu from 15 hours to 5 days. The disease begins acutely and proceeds rapidly. The first signs of the disease are diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. Often the disease begins at a high temperature, but in some cases, the temperature is raised slightly. In typical cases, vomiting can be up to three or four times, a chair - to 10-15 times. But there are also severe course with frequent vomiting and repeated chair, which is accompanied by dehydration.

The stools are profuse, watery, frothy, with a pungent odor, without blood or mucus. In less severe disease mushy stool. Since the beginning of the disease are often marked by weak constant pain and rumbling in the abdomen. Severe cramping are rare.

The disease is characterized by increasing weakness, particularly if significant loss of liquid. Fluid loss is especially dangerous for young children, a condition called exsicosis. Signs exsicosis: the child is constantly asking to drink (but heavy exsicosis he refuses to drink), skin and mucous membranes dry, cracked lips, sunken eyes, urination occurs rarely and little.

As with any viral infection in the intestinal flu may appear small catarrhal phenomena in the form of cough and cold, which quickly pass.

Diagnosis of intestinal flu

The diagnosis in most cases is made by the signs of the disease and the epidemiological situation in the locality (for example, if you know other cases of a similar illness). You can confirm the diagnosis by laboratory tests: in the feces of patients detected rotavirus (only with an electron microscope, which is not all labs), and the blood - antibodies against rotavirus, which can be determined by using an enzyme immunoassay.

Treatment of intestinal flu

In the treatment of intestinal flu the most important thing - to prevent dehydration, which is especially important for young children. To do this, the child's need to constantly drink, it is better if it would be saline solutions: lightly salted water and salts that are sold in pharmacies (eg rehydron). All pharmaceutical drugs salt bred strictly in accordance with the instructions, otherwise the body can be harmful, because the salts attract water.

If the child has signs of exsicosis and is thus constantly tears without holding the water, which he is given, it should be immediately put in the hospital - where his vital solutions are administered intravenously.

Since intestinal flu impaired production of digestive enzymes, they are administered in the form of medications (eg, mezim). Food - only cooked dishes in small portions. Appointed as drugs that can adsorb and remove various toxins and microorganisms (activated charcoal, smectite and others) - they free the body from rotavirus. In order to suppress the activity of pathogenic microflora of the intestine that can "raise its head" in violation of the enzymatic activity, prescribe drugs - probiotics that contain bacteria that are part of the natural intestinal flora and are involved in digestion.

Intestinal flu - an infectious disease that they do not get sick, need to wash their hands regularly and to comply with all the rules of personal hygiene.

Galina Romanenko

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