What is gastroenteritis and what is the treatment?

As the Queen is admitted to hospital suffering from gastroenteritis, we take a look at infection and its symptoms
3 March 2013

Gastroenteritis is an infection of the stomach and bowel.

The most common symptoms are vomiting and repeated episodes of diarrhoea.

The two most common causes of gastroenteritis in adults in England are the norovirus and food poisoning.

The infection interferes with one of the main functions of the intestines - the absorption of water from the contents of a patient's intestines into the body.

This is why the most common symptom of gastroenteritis is watery diarrhoea and why dehydration is a common complication.

Most types of gastroenteritis are highly infectious.

It is not yet known if the Queen is suffering from viral or bacterial gastroenteritis but it is unlikely that she is being given antibiotics as this prolongs the time it takes to settle the condition.

Professor Christopher Hawkey, at the University of Nottingham's faculty of medicine and health sciences, said the 86-year-old will probably be treated with a drip and isolated.

He said: "The likely cause with the Queen is the norovirus, the winter vomiting virus.

"It's very infectious and strikes in winter because people are indoors and it spreads more easily.

"Because it is infectious we try to not admit people to hospital as it can start the outbreaks we hear of.

"But not everyone can keep up with oral hydration so it is pretty routine to go to hospital and have a drip and wait for the thing to pass and keep yourself hydrated."

It is important to ensure patients are given combinations of sugar and salt to help fluids be absorbed.

There is an urban myth that drinking a can of flat cola will help as it has just the right amount of sugar.

But since manufacturers have reduced their sugar content "it's actually a really bad thing," said the professor.

Washing one's hands is extremely important in preventing the illness spreading.

Bacteria can be transferred through poor hygiene.

For example, if someone does not wash their hands after going to the toilet, any viruses or bacteria on them will be transferred to whatever they touch.

Medics recommend that gastroenteritis patients should not return to work until 48 hours after passing a normal stool.

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