Intestinal flu
The content of the article:
- Causes and risk factors
- Forms of the disease
- Disease stages
- Intestinal flu symptoms
- Diagnostics
- Intestinal flu treatment
- Diet for intestinal flu
- Possible complications and consequences
- Forecast
- Prevention
Intestinal flu is an infectious disease of viral etiology in which the gastrointestinal tract is affected. The causative agents are mainly rotaviruses. The name "intestinal flu" is a misnomer, albeit common, because rotaviruses are not related to influenza viruses. The correct name is rotavirus infection.
The disease is ubiquitous and occurs in all population groups, but it is more susceptible to children, people with weakened immunity and the elderly. Intestinal influenza in children is one of the most common causes of diarrhea, accounting for 20% of all cases of severe diarrhea in infants and about 5% of all deaths in children under five years of age. According to some reports, almost all children under the age of five suffer from this disease. The incidence rises in the winter.
Causes and risk factors
Rotaviruses are a genus of viruses in the Reoviridae family that have fragmented double-stranded RNA. Of the nine known types of rotaviruses, humans can become infected with species A, B, and C. Up to 90% of all cases of intestinal influenza are caused by rotavirus A. The diameter of the virion is 65–75 nm. The genome of the virus contains 11 fragments surrounded by a three-layer protein coat (capsid), which makes the virus resistant to the acidic contents of the stomach and intestinal enzymes. The infectious agent is quite stable in the external environment (it freely tolerates low temperatures and heating up to 60 ° C).
Replication of rotaviruses in the body occurs mainly in the enterocytes of the villi of the small intestine, which leads to the death of the latter and subsequent structural and functional changes in the epithelium. The virus enters the cell by direct penetration through the cell membrane or by endocytosis. Due to the disruption of the digestive process and the accumulation of disaccharides, a large amount of water and electrolytes enters the intestinal lumen, which leads to the development of severe diarrhea and dehydration.
The infectious agent enters the human body through the mucous membranes of the gastrointestinal tract. The most common route of transmission of the intestinal flu virus is alimentary (the use of unwashed vegetables and fruits, meat and dairy products of dubious quality, etc.). Infection by airborne droplets and contact is also possible.
Risk factors include immunodeficiency states and poor personal hygiene. Intestinal influenza occurs both sporadically and in epidemic outbreaks. Foci of infection often occur in children's groups, especially in preschool institutions, in children admitted to a hospital for another reason (nosocomial infection), as well as in nursing homes.
Forms of the disease
Intestinal influenza can have a typical (proceeds like gastritis, gastroenteritis, enteritis) and atypical (erased, subclinical course) form; mild, moderate or severe course. Depending on the characteristics of the clinical picture, the disease can be acute, protracted, complicated.
Disease stages
In its development, rotavirus infection goes through three stages:
- Incubation period.
- Acute period.
- Reconvalescence.
Intestinal flu symptoms
The incubation period of intestinal flu, that is, the time from the moment the pathogen enters the body and until the first pronounced clinical manifestations, ranges from one to five days. The pathological process is developing rapidly. The first signs of intestinal flu are severe nausea, repeated vomiting, rumbling in the abdomen, diarrhea (stool is liquid, frothy, without mucus or blood, with an unpleasant, pungent odor), stomach cramps, pain in the upper abdomen or abdominal pain that is not clearly localized … The general condition suffers significantly: the body temperature rises to 38-39 ˚С, it is accompanied by general weakness, lethargy, headache, aching muscles and joints, a complete lack of appetite. In some cases, there is a dry cough, a slight runny nose, nasal congestion, sneezing, pain when swallowing,hyperemia of the posterior pharyngeal wall, uvula and palatine arches. Some similarity with the clinical picture of respiratory disease, most likely, was the reason for the name rotavirus infection "intestinal flu". A few days after the onset of the disease, the feces acquire a gray-yellow color and a clay-like consistency.
Often, patients with intestinal flu develop intolerance to milk and dairy products (secondary lactase deficiency). In severe cases of the disease, there are signs of dehydration, attacks of dizziness, and impaired consciousness. The general condition of the patient usually returns to normal within a week, but for another month he is a source of infection and, as such, is a danger to others.
Intestinal flu in adult patients has the same manifestations as in children, but they may be less pronounced, and in some cases (especially in the elderly) the disease is asymptomatic. However, even with an asymptomatic course, an infected person is a potential source of infection.
Diagnostics
Specific diagnosis of rotavirus infection, as a rule, is carried out by identifying the infectious agent in the stool by enzyme immunoassay. In some cases, methods of polymerase chain reaction, indirect hemagglutination, complement fixation reaction, as well as electron microscopy, etc. are used. However, in many cases, the diagnosis is made on the basis of a characteristic clinical picture, taking into account the epidemic situation.
In the general analysis of urine, leukocyte, erythrocyte and proteinuria are found, in some cases - hyaline casts in small quantities. In the general analysis of blood - an increase in the number of leukocytes, a shift in the leukocyte formula to the left, an increase in ESR.
Differential diagnosis is carried out with gastritis, gastroenteritis, enterocolitis of a different etiology, food poisoning. Intestinal flu in pregnant women is differentiated from early toxicosis.
Intestinal flu treatment
Etiotropic treatment of intestinal flu has not been developed, therefore symptomatic therapy is used. Patients with rotavirus infection are isolated, depending on the severity of the disease and the patient's age, treatment is carried out in a hospital or at home.
The main goals of therapy are the normalization of the water-salt balance disturbed due to vomiting and diarrhea, the elimination of intoxication and the disorders caused by it. Dehydration is especially dangerous in childhood, therefore, children with severe diarrhea and repeated vomiting are hospitalized, rehydration and correction of electrolyte balance are carried out by intravenous drip of rehydrating solutions.
In adults, the indication for hospitalization is the presence of fever in the patient for more than five days, pronounced signs of intoxication, indomitable vomiting and diarrhea, detection of blood impurities in feces and vomit, impaired consciousness, pregnancy. In other cases, treatment is carried out at home.
An abundant drink (non-carbonated mineral water, saline solutions, weak black tea) is prescribed in small portions, since a large amount of alcohol consumed can immediately provoke an attack of vomiting in the acute period of the disease; reception of enterosorbents. When the body temperature rises above 38 ° C, antipyretic drugs are used. At the end of the acute stage of the disease, drugs can be used to restore the normal intestinal microflora (the need is determined by the attending physician).
Diet for intestinal flu
Diet is indicated for patients with intestinal flu. In the acute period of the disease, there is no appetite, any food and even its smell causes increased nausea and an attack of vomiting, therefore a water-tea break is prescribed until the end of acute manifestations (1-2 days). Then they give sweet tea with dried white bread, boiled rice. Then the diet is gradually expanded by introducing vegetable purees and porridge on the water, biscuit biscuits, baked apples, bananas, boiled lean meat and fish, low-fat and weak broth. Meals should be fractional - 6-8 times a day in small portions. Until complete recovery, milk, dairy and sour-milk products, fatty, spicy, spicy, fried foods, sausages, concentrated juices, fresh vegetables and fruits, sweet carbonated drinks, fast food, coffee, alcohol are excluded from the menu.
Possible complications and consequences
Intestinal flu can be complicated by dehydration and the complications caused by it - heart, kidney failure.
Forecast
The prognosis is favorable in most cases. Long-term consequences of the transferred disease are not observed. The prognosis worsens with the development of a severe form of rotavirus infection in young children and people with severe immunodeficiency.
Prevention
Vaccination is a specific prophylaxis for intestinal flu, two vaccines against rotavirus A have been developed, both contain live attenuated virus and have proven to be effective preventive measures.
Non-specific prevention of intestinal influenza consists of the following measures:
- isolation of patients with intestinal flu;
- avoiding contact with patients, especially during pregnancy;
- regular hand washing after returning from the street, visiting the toilet, before eating;
- using proven quality products in food, avoiding the use of expired products, thoroughly washing vegetables and fruits;
- use of high quality drinking water;
- strengthening immunity;
- rejection of bad habits.
Source: simptomer.ru
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Anna Aksenova Medical journalist About the author
Education: 2004-2007 "First Kiev Medical College" specialty "Laboratory Diagnostics".
The information is generalized and provided for informational purposes only. At the first sign of illness, see your doctor. Self-medication is hazardous to health!
