What are stomach flu symptoms. Causes and treatment of intestinal flu, symptoms of the disease

Intestinal flu is a common viral disease, similar in clinical picture to the usual rotavirus type of infection.

Treatment of intestinal flu is a common task for many mothers, as well as local doctors. The disease spreads very quickly, especially in closed communities - schools, kindergartens, offices.

The causative agent of this disease is rotavirus. Often this category is also attributed to diseases caused by bacteria. This is not entirely true. Ailments of a bacterial nature rarely combine respiratory and intestinal syndromes (like this pathogen) and have a different course and treatment methods.

The disease is considered highly contagious. The fact is that the flu pathogen can remain outside the human body for several hours. It calmly tolerates temperature changes and can remain on the patient’s personal belongings until it comes into contact with another person’s body. the only one effective method combating the spread of the virus is thermal treatment of liquids (boiling), chemical treatment of surfaces. It is advisable to use disinfectant solutions for this purpose.

A person can become infected with this disease through the personal belongings of another patient, using his dishes or hygiene products, through direct contact with an infected person, including through airborne droplets. The source of the disease can be any household item, contaminated food and even water. Naturally, unboiled. For those who do not know how intestinal flu is transmitted, it is recommended to simply exclude all other people’s things from everyday use. This is the first step to personal safety.

The incubation period of the disease generally lasts 5 days. Only after this the first symptoms appear - a slight malaise and a runny nose. 7 days after contact with a carrier of infection, the disease progresses to acute stage, after which 5 days after the first signs of intestinal flu appear, recovery usually occurs.

During this disease the normal rhythm of work of intestinal bacteria is disrupted - viruses or pathogenic microbes block them. As a result, digestive function decreases and diarrhea occurs. He is accompanied by others characteristic symptoms, but fades away very quickly.

After recovery, a person develops immunity against intestinal flu, but this does not mean that the disease will no longer bother him. This virus has quite a lot of strains, mutates easily, which does not allow the body to develop effective protection against it. But if a similar type of disease occurs, the body needs to effectively overcome it in a short period.

In general, rotavirus, which causes intestinal flu, is not dangerous to the body. However, children, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems can be seriously harmed by this disease.

Those who do not know what intestinal flu is often call this disease any intestinal disorder, regardless of symptoms. This is a serious misconception. Symptoms of intestinal flu in adults are typical. Among them:

Sore throat and slight runny nose, making themselves felt a few hours before intestinal upset;
Watery diarrhea, diarrhea;
Vomit;
dizziness weakness;
Temperature;
Often sore throat accompanied by inflammation.

In severe cases, prolonged vomiting and dehydration are added to this list of diseases. If intestinal flu symptoms persist for more than five days, you should additional examination and hospitalization. Ignoring such a serious illness can lead to fatal outcome.

Symptoms of intestinal flu are very often confused with ordinary poisoning, or appendicitis, which is why they are often prescribed incorrect treatment, especially if the patient does not go to the doctor with an illness, preferring to treat the disease on our own. As a rule, this leads to a rapid deterioration of the patient’s condition and a long recovery from the disease. There is only one way to avoid this - by immediately seeking qualified medical help.

Please note: along with stomach flu similar symptoms exhibit dangerous diseases such as salmonellosis. Ignoring their symptoms can lead to severe consequences, including the death of a person, therefore assistance to the patient must be provided immediately.

Since intestinal flu symptoms and treatment are similar to many diseases, correct diagnosis in this case is crucial. Help to make an accurate diagnosis of intestinal flu:

General examination of the patient;
Stool analysis;
Blood analysis.

Specific diagnostic methods, including ultrasound, are applicable only in extreme cases accompanied by spotting in feces (which cannot be present with normal intestinal flu). To obtain an accurate diagnosis, one visit to the doctor is enough. Repeated diagnosis is necessary when long-term illness, intensification of symptoms, and also at the end of the disease.

Treatment of intestinal flu

Increased immunity;
Fighting dehydration;
Elimination of flu symptoms;
Decrease in temperature.

Among the drugs prescribed to the patient, the most popular are:

Rehydron, which helps avoid dehydration;
Mezim, which restores digestive function;
Sorbex output share harmful substances from the body.

Antipyretics are prescribed for this disease less often and only when poor tolerance high temperature. Treatment of intestinal flu in children involves the use of more gentle means. in particular, if there is a need to reduce the temperature, it is recommended to use candles for this purpose rather than tablets.

Contrary to popular belief, antibacterial agents are not used in the treatment of illness, since they are powerless against an illness of viral origin.

For rehabilitation after a long illness, probiotics are recommended, for example, Linex, which help improve metabolism.

In the instructions on how to treat intestinal flu you can find a ban on painkillers. If the patient's condition is considered severe, persistent vomiting, stomach pain, and the appearance of blood in the stool are observed, and hospitalization of the patient is necessary.

Symptoms of intestinal flu in children do not differ from the course of the disease in adults, therefore the treatment regimen for children does not differ significantly from the adult version. But certain adjustments can be made to it, including:

Isolation from the team;
Nutrition control;
Limited use of medications, changing the dosage to suit the needs of the child’s body;
Immediate hospitalization if acute symptoms appear: prolonged vomiting, diarrhea, high fever.

For young patients strict implementation treatment is especially important, therefore one should not neglect any advice from the attending physician.

Often, the effectiveness of patient treatment depends on the quality of patient care, especially if we're talking about about children. The task of the person caring for the patient includes:

Regular wet cleaning of the premises;
Airing;
Regular feeding;
At a high temperature and a ban on antipyretic drugs, wipe the patient with vodka.

Treatment of intestinal flu in children and adults involves strict bed rest. Contact with the patient should be kept to a minimum. The dishes should be kept separate from the general ones and regularly treated with boiling water.

Particular attention should be paid to nutrition. A person who has been diagnosed with intestinal flu is advised to follow a low-carbohydrate diet. Completely excluded:

dairy products;
fatty and fried foods;
heavy meat;
sweets;
flour.

Feeding should be done frequently, in small portions, especially if the patient suffers from bouts of vomiting. Emphasis must be placed on liquid, light foods and plenty of fluids, unless the patient is feeling nauseous. There is no need to force a person to drink.

During the rehabilitation period of a flu patient, dairy products can be returned to the diet; after 2 weeks, the diet should be completely discontinued. You need to approach with caution physical activity. It is not recommended to return to active sports immediately after an illness, especially if its form was severe and the rehabilitation period was long. If symptoms of intestinal flu have been noted in children, physical activity should be limited in the first days after recovery. The baby is transferred to the exercise therapy section in a general education institution.

Proper patient care will shorten the duration of the disease and make the course of the disease less uncomfortable. But this care should not run counter to the interests of other family members. So, it is necessary to isolate relatives with reduced immunity, small children and pregnant women from the patient.

Possible complications with this disease

Severe intestinal flu can often lead to heart failure, which in turn can be fatal. At risk for this issue are people with chronic diseases heart or blood vessels, reduced immunity, as well as young children (their disease can affect development) and pregnant girls. Such deviations are rare - approximately 3% of cases. People at risk should consult a doctor at the first symptoms of the disease. This will help stop the disease in time and choose the right treatment and rehabilitation.

Among less dangerous consequences diseases note intestinal dysbiosis, disruption of the gastrointestinal tract and secondary infection.

Prevention of intestinal flu

Intestinal flu is a disease that can be avoided by following simple recommendations for disease prevention. The measures recommended in this case are similar to general advice for everyone who is protected from the flu. These include:

Avoiding contact with sick people. If possible, it is worth limiting communication not only with those who have suffered an acute form of intestinal flu, but also with their relatives who may be carriers of the disease.
Maintaining good hygiene, especially on vacation. It is necessary to monitor the cleanliness of dishes, personal hygiene products and the quality of products.

Strengthening the immune system, playing sports. This measure is aimed primarily at avoiding negative consequences diseases.
See a doctor at the first feeling of discomfort. Often in the early stages it is possible to prevent the disease and prevent it from becoming acute. This will make it possible to reduce the risk of complications and shorten the period of illness.

In other countries, are there two types of specific influenza vaccine? At the request of the client, it can be ordered from abroad. Vaccination is recommended to be done long before contact with a potential patient, otherwise this method will have no effect. The best option– ordering vaccinations several months before the predicted epidemic. But since intestinal flu is not always seasonal, it is quite difficult to guess the timing. If contact has already occurred, the vaccine will only weaken the body and make the disease more protracted.

Intestinal flu, or, as it is also called, stomach flu, is a common disease that affects the gastrointestinal tract. The pathology received this name because the symptoms are similar to those of the flu ( elevated temperature, general weakness and other manifestations of intoxication of the body). The development of stomach flu is accompanied by symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, changes in the appearance of stool, diarrhea and others. More details about how to treat intestinal flu will be discussed in this article.

When intestinal flu develops, the patient feels severe weakness, because the disease is accompanied by damage to internal organs. In medicine there is another term - viral gastroenteritis(as doctors call intestinal flu). According to statistics, stomach flu ranks first among all infectious intestinal diseases. This is a relatively young disease that, just a few decades ago, doctors did not distinguish from other intestinal infections. But with the development of medicine, when rotavirus, which contributes to the development of stomach flu, was discovered in the mid-70s, this disease finally received its name.

The disease can affect the body of every person, regardless of his age or gender. But despite this, most often the symptoms of intestinal flu are diagnosed in one-year-old children. Adult patients become infected, usually while caring for infected children. If at first the disease was recorded only within the United States, now this disease can be found in almost all European countries.

On a note! In children over 4 years old the immune system has already been sufficiently formed to combat rotavirus infection. The same can be said about teenage children, who suffer from intestinal flu quite rarely, just like adults. But for children early age pathology is a serious danger.

You don't need to travel to exotic countries or eat unusual foods to catch the stomach flu. Infected water and food, poor hygiene, or dirty objects that the baby may put in his mouth can all lead to infection.

Causes

As noted earlier, the main source of the disease can be either a rotavirus carrier or an infected person. The habitat of the virus is the mucosal cells of various organs of the gastrointestinal tract. The virus itself leaves the infected body of the patient along with feces. Rotavirus is transmitted by food - this is the most common way. Also, a virus that is on clothing or household items enters the body. Consequently, the pathology spreads quickly in crowded places, for example, in an institute or kindergarten. The first sign of contracting the flu is acute diarrhea that cannot be stopped.

When infected with a virus, the functioning of the digestive system is disrupted, which causes disruptions in metabolic processes and diarrhea. The peculiarity of the disease is its rapid development, so the course of treatment is prescribed individually, taking into account various factors. As a rule, the patient is referred to the hospital.

Characteristic symptoms

The virus does not appear immediately after it enters the body. This may take some time - from 10-12 hours to several days. But in most cases, symptoms of pathology appear in the first day after infection with rotavirus.

The intestinal flu is accompanied acute symptoms, among which:

general weakness of the body;
decreased or complete lack of appetite;
severe runny nose;
inflammation of the mucous membrane of the throat;
frequent diarrhea (5 to 12 times a day);
bouts of vomiting;
temperature increase.

Over time, symptoms of body intoxication and dehydration are added to the first signs of pathology. The patient becomes very lethargic and weak, and the color of the urine may change. As a rule, it becomes darker. In this case, the patient’s body is at risk serious danger and if you do not consult a doctor in time, serious complications may arise. If signs of intestinal flu appear in a child, then at the first suspicious symptoms you need to go to the hospital. Only a doctor will be able to determine whether it is possible to leave the child at home for the period of treatment or whether this should be done in a hospital.

There are several forms of intestinal flu:

light;
average;
heavy.

The patient's condition at mild form diseases worsens slightly. As a rule, he complains of heaviness and discomfort in the stomach. The urge to defecate occurs up to 5 times a day. Medium form pathology accompanied by an increase in body temperature, painful sensations in the abdomen, general weakness of the body and other symptoms that appear with a common cold. The patient can defecate 5 to 10 times a day, and the stool has a characteristic yellowish tint.

Severe stomach flu It occurs quite rarely in people. In this case, the body temperature can rise to 40 degrees, the patient suffers from severe pain in the abdominal area. There is also frequent stool (10-12 times a day), which is most often foamy and watery. The skin becomes very loose, and urination becomes rare. In any case, you should immediately consult a doctor if you notice suspicious symptoms in yourself or your child. It is not recommended to self-medicate to avoid the pathology becoming severe.

Diagnosis of intestinal flu

The essence of the diagnostic examination is for the doctor to be able to distinguish bacterial gastroenteritis from viral gastroenteritis, since there is a big difference in the treatment of these pathologies. Also, an equally important goal in diagnosis is to determine rotavirus infection, since this disease can easily be mistaken for food poisoning or a cold. But if with intestinal flu the body temperature rises, then with poisoning it does not.

To identify the pathogen, the doctor may order the following tests:

stool analysis to detect rotavirus antigens;
blood analysis;
urine analysis, which can detect leukocyturia, hematuria and proteinuria.

On a note! Before surrender laboratory tests, in particular, feces, doctors recommend not taking any medications for at least 24 hours before collection. The same applies to administering enemas, laxatives and rectal suppositories. This may affect the analysis results.

Treatment options

After the doctor makes a diagnosis, he will prescribe a course of therapy, which consists of stopping dehydration of the body and eliminating the symptoms of the pathology. First of all, you need to stop diarrhea and vomiting. Antidiarrheal and antiemetic medications will help with this. medicines. Since the treatment is complex, it consists of taking medications, following special diet and the use of traditional medicine. Let's consider each of these methods separately.

Pharmacy drugs

In the treatment of intestinal flu, different medical supplies, differing from each other in composition and properties. Which remedy is suitable in a particular case is decided by the attending physician. Below are the most common medications prescribed by doctors.

Table. Drug treatment for stomach flu.

Name of the drug, photo	Description
	As an active ingredient this drug methyl silicic acid appears. Enterosgel has detoxifying properties, thanks to which it is effective in the treatment of intestinal flu. Taken internally.
	A cleansing drug that helps cleanse the patient’s body of various toxins. The peculiarity of this drug is that when it enters the body, it is not absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract.
	Another drug used in the treatment of stomach flu. Belongs to the group of nitrofurans and has antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties. Negatively affects gram-negative microorganisms.
	An effective probiotic preparation, the effect of which is to increase the number of microorganisms included in the composition intestinal microflora. The drug has a complex effect on the patient’s body, which distinguishes it from other probiotic medicines.
	A combination product containing different types lyophilized bacteria included in the composition normal microflora intestines. The drug is used in medicine to restore and support intestinal microflora. Often used during recovery after the main course of therapy.

Important! It is not recommended to take antibiotics when treating stomach flu. Such drugs will not only not help cope with the symptoms of the disease, but will also worsen the patient’s condition by destroying the remaining part of the intestinal microflora.

Nutrition

In parallel with taking medications, the patient must comply with therapeutic diet. Its essence is to add the following products to the diet:

strong tea, preferably unsweetened;
crackers;
crumbly porridges cooked in water (rice, buckwheat, pearl barley, millet);
dairy products.

If you have intestinal flu, the patient should avoid eating the following foods:

raw vegetables and fruits;
sugar;
Rye bread;
whole milk;
alcoholic products.

As a rule, after 4-5 days of treatment the patient notices significant improvement. But this does not mean that he is immediately discharged, since the duration of the “quarantine” is 14 days, during which the patient is still considered infectious.

Folk remedies

As a complement to traditional treatment many use proven traditional medicine recipes. Below are the most effective of them.

Table. Traditional medicine recipes for intestinal flu.

Product name, photo	Application
	For cooking you will need pine buds. Pour 200 ml of boiling water over 10 g of kidneys and cook in a steam bath for 20 minutes. After this, let it sit for 1 hour. Strain the cooled product through cheesecloth and take 100 ml 2 times a day. It is advisable to take the decoction 20 minutes after eating. After a few days of treatment you will notice improvements.
	Bee products have been used in folk medicine for many years. And this is not surprising, because they contain a lot of useful components that actively fight against various diseases. To get rid of the symptoms of intestinal flu, you need to mix 30 ml in one bowl lemon juice, 200 ml clean water and 100 ml of honey. Take the prepared product 100 ml 3 times a day.
	To prepare the herbal mixture, you need to mix willow bark, chamomile, linden and rose hips in equal proportions. Then pour 200 ml of boiling water 1 tbsp. l. prepared collection and leave for 15 minutes. After infusion, strain the resulting solution through cheesecloth to get rid of plant residues. Take 50 ml 2-3 times a day, preferably before meals.
	Another recipe for a folk remedy used to treat stomach flu. Pour 300 ml of boiling water over 2 tbsp. l. black elderberry and cook for 15-20 minutes over low heat. After the product has cooled, add 1 tbsp. l. honey and mix all ingredients thoroughly. Take 500 ml of decoction after each meal. The duration of treatment is until symptoms are completely eliminated.
	A very simple, but at the same time effective remedy for intestinal flu. To prepare fruit juice, pour 200 ml of clean cool water and 2-3 tsp. raspberry jam. Instead of raspberries, you can use jam from other berries, such as currants or strawberries. Drink fruit juice throughout the day.

If you decide to be treated with folk remedies, this does not mean that you can refuse to take pharmaceutical drugs. It was previously mentioned that therapy for intestinal flu should be comprehensive. This is the only way to quickly achieve the desired result.

Prevention measures

It is much easier to prevent the development of intestinal flu than to treat it. Therefore, it is necessary to engage in prevention, which consists of the rules of personal hygiene, or rather, their observance. According to statistics, infection most often enters the body with dirty food. Therefore, it is important to keep your hands clean at all times, especially before eating. The same goes for dirty dishes, such as spoons, forks or plates.

Since childhood, we are taught not to eat dirty fruits and vegetables, but to wash them thoroughly so that germs do not enter the body. But for some reason many people forget about this rule. Be sure to wash fruits and vegetables before eating, and if possible, disinfect them with boiling water. Because the virus that causes the stomach flu is highly contagious, the sick person must be isolated so that he or she cannot infect others.

Important! If you go with friends to the river to swim, then when swimming you also need to follow some rules. Now we are not talking about safety measures, but about preventing infection, so when bathing, do not allow dirty water to get into your mouth.

People may get the stomach flu several times throughout their lives, but it can be corrected. If the first time the patient is infected with the virus, timely and effective treatment is provided, then the immune system will eventually develop protection against repeated infections. This will make treatment easier in the future, and in some cases completely protect the body.

Video - Symptoms and treatment of intestinal flu

Intestinal flu is an acute infectious disease of the human digestive system, which affects the mucous membrane of the abdominal organs that take part in the process of digestion, breakdown and absorption of consumed food. To a flu-like state, in the truest sense of the word, this disease has a very indirect relationship. The person really feels unwell, the body temperature rises, but still the main part of the pathogenic microflora is localized precisely in the gastrointestinal tract. intestinal tract sick. The causative agent of the disease is a viral infection, which in most cases is diagnosed in children, but despite this, adults also periodically suffer from medical hospital with signs of this disease.

The manifestation of the disease is always typical and for an experienced gastroenterologist or infectious disease specialist, it will not be difficult to suspect a patient enterovirus infection only on the basis of the corresponding symptoms, which manifest themselves in acute form when the flu intestinal type is at the peak of its development.

In general, the disease is expressed in the following pathological signs:

chills and febrile state, body temperature rises to 38-39 degrees Celsius, there is sweating with a violation of body heat exchange;
stool disorder in the form of liquid diarrhea, the urge to which can bother an adult from 2 to 5 times a day, or every 1.5 hours after eating;
nausea and vomiting (usually this symptom appears when the stomach is full of food);
physical weakness and loss of strength, which is observed even after minor exertion;
complete or partial absence appetite (sometimes a patient with intestinal flu can eat only once during the day and this is quite enough for him).

Some patients, in addition to the above symptoms, also complain of cramps inside the abdomen, expressed in aching pain syndrome. The main localization of the feeling of heaviness and pain inside the abdominal cavity is its center with a slight displacement in left side. In patients of the adult age group, the disease proceeds quite stable and without signs of complications.

Causes and routes of infection with intestinal flu

There are a small number of factors and ways of contracting a viral infection of this type, since the disease can be transmitted from an infected person to a healthy person or from the environment. Based on this, the following reasons for the development of stomach flu in adults are identified:

drinking raw water that contains viable strains of viral microorganisms;
eating food that has been contaminated and has not undergone sufficient testing heat treatment;
household contact with a person who already suffers from this disease or is a carrier of the virus;
fresh vegetables and fruits that were not thoroughly washed under a stream of hot water before eating.

The activity of human immune system cells has a great influence on the likelihood of developing the disease.

People leading a healthy lifestyle who do not have bad habits suffer from stomach flu much less often, since pathogenic microflora is destroyed local immunity still at the stage of penetration into the body.

Do I need to see a doctor and get tested?

After the occurrence of symptoms indicating a disorder of the digestive system, but without signs of poisoning, it is of course necessary to seek help from a general practitioner, gastroenterologist or infectious disease specialist. Each of the specialists in this profile will provide the patient with qualified medical care. Bear illness on your feet or exercise self-treatment at home is not recommended.

First of all, this is due to the fact that only a doctor can determine the presence of intestinal flu in an adult patient and select those medications, which are appropriate to use in this case. The list of tests required to be taken is determined individually based on the symptoms present.

Treatment of intestinal (stomach) flu in adults

In most cases, specific treatment is not required and the task of doctors is to monitor the patient’s health, maintain a stable water-salt balance in his body, cleanse the blood and lymphatic fluid of toxins, and reduce fever. IN therapeutic purposes an adult patient hospitalized with this diagnosis in infectious diseases department, receives next treatment:

intravenous drips with a saline solution to replenish body fluids lost due to diarrhea;
drugs that stimulate the immune system;
sorbents in the form of Smecta, Activated carbon, Enterosgel, White coal, absorbing toxic substances, released by viral microorganisms during their life activity;
washing the intestines with boiled water using an enema to cleanse the gastrointestinal tract of excess pathogenic microflora.

After the peak of the disease, which lasts 3-5 days, passes, the patient receives drug therapy in the form of capsules with beneficial bacterial cultures designed to improve digestion and strengthen the immune system.

In addition, during the period of treatment it is very important to follow a diet, giving up fatty, fried, smoked, pickled foods, and alcohol.

Prevention

Timely prevention of the development of intestinal flu is always better than its treatment and the mass of unpleasant symptoms present in the infected person. Therefore, in order not to encounter this disease, it is recommended to observe the following daily: preventive measures:

wash your hands thoroughly before eating;
always properly thermally process the food from which the dish is prepared;
wash vegetables and fruits under a stream of hot water;
Avoid contact with people who have signs of stomach flu or have recently had it;
Drink only boiled or purified water.

These simple precautions will allow every adult to maintain excellent health and ensure stable functioning of the digestive system without the risk of a viral disease.

In the cool season, in addition to colds and respiratory diseases, viral gastroenterocolitis, colloquially called intestinal flu, is also quite common, sometimes also called abdominal or stomach flu.

They received this name because patients simultaneously show signs of influenza and gastrointestinal disorders.

Stomach flu occurs due to rotavirus entering the human body. Anyone can get this disease, from infants to old people, but most often the infection is diagnosed in children aged 6 to 12 months.

According to statistics, 40 percent of all intestinal infections in children are caused by rotavirus. Adults become infected while caring for sick children. The intestinal flu became widespread in the United States, and then reached European countries.

How can you get infected?

Why does stomach flu occur and what is it? The virus enters the human body through the mucous membrane of the gastrointestinal tract.

One type of transmission of infection is foodborne. That is, the infection enters the body through unwashed fruits, vegetables, and low-quality dairy products.
The second route of infection is airborne droplets. When speaking loudly, sneezing, or coughing, germs from a sick person spread into the air.
Transmission of stomach flu through contact and household contact cannot be ruled out. Therefore, during an outbreak of the disease, it is recommended to use your own utensils and refuse the services of a common dining room.

The intestinal virus is destroyed only by concentrated chlorine-containing disinfectants.

Symptoms of stomach flu in adults

Average duration incubation period stomach flu of viral etiology lasts 5 days, but may occur longer short term, however, in all cases the incubation period is completely absent clinical manifestations diseases.

Characteristic periods of the disease:

the incubation period lasts 2-5 days;
acute period - up to 7 days;
recovery or convalescence - up to 5 days.

In the case of stomach flu, the symptoms are as follows:

After the incubation period, the body temperature rises sharply, signs of febrile syndrome appear, vomiting and diarrhea begin. The discharge may change color, sometimes.
Abdominal pain. A person experiences spasmodic pain in the abdominal area of varying intensity.
Runny nose, sneezing. Often, intestinal flu develops immediately before an outbreak of traditional flu and may be accompanied by common infections.
Loss of appetite, weakness. Over the course of 7–10 days of illness, the human body can become severely depleted, facial features become sharper, blood pressure may drop and symptoms may appear.

Rotavirus infection can easily be confused with ordinary intestinal poisoning, so accurate diagnosis you should contact a specialist. Symptoms of intestinal flu pose a danger to human health and life.

Prevention

To prevent infection with viruses and increase the body's immune defense, it is important to follow simple rules of hygiene: wash your hands thoroughly, eat only boiled water, well-cooked dishes and only pasteurized dairy products.

When swimming in natural bodies of water, you should not swallow water. If a viral infection is detected, contact of patients with other people should be minimized, and household items and premises should be thoroughly disinfected.

The intestinal flu is infection, which is quite acute. Gastroenteritis has vivid symptoms, but its signs are characteristic of other serious diseases, therefore, for the diagnosis and treatment of the disease, it is necessary to apply for professional help. At the same time, it is much easier to prevent infection with rotavirus, for which you need to follow basic rules of personal hygiene and minimize contact with a sick person.

Treatment of stomach flu

In the case of gastric influenza, no specific treatment has been developed so far. Therefore, treatment of stomach flu in adults is purely symptomatic.

The main thing is to get rid of intoxication from the body as quickly as possible, to normalize the water-salt balance; it can be disturbed during vomiting and diarrhea. A person should not be dehydrated; it is necessary to remove all toxins, normalize heart function, strengthen vascular walls, do not allow it to develop bacterial species infections.

It is necessary to endure the acute period, despite unpleasant symptoms. In just 5-7 days everything will return to normal.

When diarrhea and vomiting begin, the water and salt balance should be restored - to do this, you need to dilute a packet of Regidron in a liter warm water and drink 1-2 small sips.
Take sorbents, for example, activated carbon, Sorbex, Enterosgel or others twice a day until gastrointestinal symptoms are completely eliminated.
If necessary, use antipyretics to normalize body temperature.
Digestive enzymes also help - treatment with Mezim forte, Creon, Pancreatin.
After stopping inflammatory process, you need to take care of the intestinal microflora. In this situation, it is necessary to take Bifiform, Linex, Hilak forte.

The use of antibiotics for intestinal flu is pointless, since the infection is viral, not bacterial, in nature.

Nutrition and diet

To speed up treatment for rotavirus infection, try to follow a gentle regimen. The following should be excluded from the diet:

roast;
fatty foods;
dairy products;
juices and carbonated drinks.

Among the foods for stomach flu, you should eat dried bread, pasta, cereals boiled in water (semolina, rice, buckwheat), chicken eggs (hard-boiled, no more than 1 egg per day).

Gradually, the patient’s diet can include low-fat soups, vegetables stewed without salt and spices, mashed potatoes, pureed cottage cheese, fresh fruits and berries.

Intestinal flu is popularly called rotavirus infection or gastroenteritis - a disease that occurs equally in both adults and children and combines the clinical symptoms of regular flu and intestinal infection. Like all similar pathologies, doctors call rotavirus the disease of dirty hands, since the main source of transmission of the infection is a sick person who can spread the virus through hands, food, and common use of household items.

Sometimes, based on the first symptoms, people mistake intestinal flu for regular flu, but it’s worth knowing the difference, because this way you will be able to contact them in time to the right specialist and begin proper treatment immediately.

Peculiarities

The disease is caused by a special group of viruses that are localized in the mucous membrane of the small intestine. Viral enteritis is a very common disease that has high level contagiousness. Due to this, intestinal flu often develops massively in the form of epidemics in closed childcare facilities, kindergartens and schools.

The causative agent of gastroenteritis is various viruses, most often it is a virus of the Rotavirus order, as well as astroviruses, caliciviruses, noroviruses and adenoviruses, which, when multiplied, lead to inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract.

Children are mostly susceptible to this disease, intestinal flu in children lasts longer and is more severe, as well as the elderly. Symptoms of stomach flu are pronounced, but at the same time, in adults with a strong immune system, rotavirus infection can occur in hidden form, asymptomatic, while outwardly healthy man may be a carrier of the pathogen.

Usually within a week the acute period of the disease ends and after 5-7 days complete recovery occurs; during this period the patient is still contagious.

Important! The easiest way to avoid getting the stomach flu is to wash your hands thoroughly.

The virus enters the human body through the mucous membrane of the gastrointestinal tract. The incubation period of this disease is from 16 hours to five days. The rate of development and severity of stomach flu depends on the concentration of the pathogen that has entered the body and the state of the person’s immune system.

There are several ways to transmit rotavirus infection:

food - through unwashed vegetables and fruits, low-quality dairy and meat products;
water - through drinking unboiled tap water or swimming in dirty water;
airborne - through communication with a sick person (when coughing, talking, sneezing, a sick person spreads microbes in the air that affect the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract and move into the intestines);
household - through objects in public transport, offices, kindergarten, school, store.

When rotavirus enters the body, within half an hour the pathogen can be detected in the cells of the small intestine. Due to the attack of the virus, the structure of the intestinal mucosa is disrupted. This in turn leads to disruption of production digestive enzymes, responsible for the breakdown of complex sugars.

Thus, in small intestine Unbroken carbohydrates accumulate and attract excess fluid, causing diarrhea or watery diarrhea.

The causative agent of the stomach flu is very viable, ordinary detergents are not able to destroy it. It is sufficiently resistant to freezing and high temperatures, withstands heating up to 60 C.

Important! intestinal virus Destroyed only with concentrated chlorine-containing disinfectants.

Development mechanism

Enteric influenza viruses (enveloped virus) have spherical shape, the core of the virion (a viral particle outside the cell), is covered with a three-layer protein coat, which provides the virus with resistance in the acidic gastric environment and in alkaline reactions 12 duodenum.

And the special structure of rotavirus genomes, consisting of eleven, non-repeating, rare RNA fragments, provides them with high phenotypic variability, the formation of new antigenic viruses of the same type, active circulation and dissemination.

The disease goes through several stages of development:

the incubation period is 1-5 days, symptoms of a respiratory disorder appear;
acute course– 3-7 days, from characteristic features inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract;
recovery - 4-5 days.

Entering the body, viruses enter the gastrointestinal tract, are activated with the help of activator proteins, and the process of reproduction begins in the cells of the intestinal epithelium covering the villi of the upper part of the small intestine or duodenum 12.

As a result of infection, after a little less than a day (18-20 hours), the infected cells are destroyed and the latter are shed into the intestinal lumen. Micromorphometric changes occur - exposed villi swell and change shape, the depth of intestinal crypts increases in the epithelium of the intestinal mucosa.

Accumulated, fallen, infected cells descend into the lower gastrointestinal tract along with the remaining food, and come out with feces.

Classification

There are more than 100 types of stomach flu viruses. However, the most common are:

rotavirus;
adenovirus;
clicivirus;
astrovirus.

All of them are transmitted orally. IN rare cases available airborne transmission of infection in large cluster of people. Viruses are not persistent in the external environment, long time persist in drinks and food.

Rotavirus infection is the most common form of intestinal flu in children. Causes severe gastroenteritis in children under one and a half years of age. In older children and adults it occurs in a mild, uncomplicated form. The incubation period is from 1 to 3 days.

Adenovirus infection affects children under 4 years of age. At an older age, it does not produce pronounced clinical symptoms and occurs in a latent form. May manifest as mild malaise and non-repeated diarrhea.

In children under 4 years of age, this form of intestinal flu lasts more than 10 days and is accompanied by high body temperature, profuse frequent vomiting and watery loose stools. May be required urgent hospitalization to the infectious diseases department.

Calicivirus intestinal influenza affects adults and adolescents. The incubation period is 7 - 10 days. The clinical picture develops over 14 days and gradually disappears without specific treatment.

Astrovirus infection affects both infants with equal frequency infancy, as well as adults. Clinical symptoms may appear 5 days after infection and last an average of 3 to 7 days. The greatest activity of this type of virus develops in winter period.

Causes

The disease is caused by the above types of viruses that infect the tissues of the intestinal mucosa. The main risk of infection lies in drinking contaminated water, drinks and food. The infection can be spread through the fecal-oral route. This is a disease of dirty hands.

Infection with intestinal influenza can occur both through contact with a sick person and a healthy person who is a carrier of the virus. Maximum extensive viral replication occurs in the cells of the mucous membrane of the gastrointestinal tract with the release of decomposition products in the feces.

The greatest degree of contagiousness of infectious diseases caused by this influenza virus occurs upon contact with the patient's feces in the first days after the disease. The main method of transmission of intestinal flu is food, that is, a person receives the virus through contaminated food.

Virology does not exclude the possibility of infection with intestinal flu through the air - as a result of close contact with a sick person.

Intestinal flu is very resistant to environmental factors, be it a significant decrease or increase in temperature, so destruction of the virus is only possible when using concentrated disinfectants based on chlorine.

Interesting to know! Virologists note that intestinal flu also depends on the season; the maximum incidence of diseases occurs in the autumn-winter period.

Food products become contaminated the moment they come into contact with with dirty hands sick or infected person. Proper hygiene, timely hand washing and drinking boiled water minimizes the risk of contracting intestinal flu.

Despite the fact that the most common cause of intestinal flu are rotaviruses, virologists say that this pathology can also be caused by other viruses that are active on the surface of the intestinal mucosa.

Diarrhea is a specific clinical symptom of intestinal influenza. As a result of disturbances, carbohydrates accumulate in small intestine, which bind fluid, which leads to the development of diarrhea.

Gastroenteritis viruses enter water through untreated human waste. People with weakened immune systems are most at risk of infection. These are the elderly, young children and the sick chronic forms diseases.

Important! Particular care should be taken when processing fresh fruits and vegetables. Not only intestinal flu viruses, but also other pathogens of intestinal infections and even worm eggs can accumulate on their surface.

People most at risk are those who:

spend a long time in public places - government agencies, schools, universities, shopping centers;
visit hospitals and clinics during periods of exacerbation of the disease;
they prefer restaurant cuisine or, especially, fast food snacks to home dinner;
have recently been treated for another diagnosis, thereby weakening their immunity;
do not eat sufficient quantity vitamins and microelements;
often overwork, do not rest enough, sleep little;
do not observe basic rules of personal hygiene - do not wash their hands before eating;
come into contact with people frequently during the day;
are in the same room with infected person such as a family member.

Gastroenteritis does not always cause exacerbation. In some cases, it can be completely asymptomatic; this form is called “latent” or “hidden”. This usually happens to those who have a good immune system. To maintain it at this level year-round, it is necessary to take additional health-promoting agents.

Symptoms

Early symptoms intestinal flu are not specific, and therefore early diagnosis diseases based solely on clinical symptoms does not seem possible. Early symptoms of stomach flu include diarrhea and high fever.

As with any viral disease, the clinical picture of intestinal flu has several stages. The incubation period of intestinal flu was observed in all patients, and its duration averaged 3-5 days. When the virus incubates, the patient experiences redness of the mucous membranes of the mouth, nose and conjunctiva of the eye.

After the incubation period it is noted sharp deterioration patient's condition, which manifests itself:

severe nausea;
vomiting;
fever;
constant diarrhea;
complete absence appetite;
general malaise.

Important! Nonspecific symptoms of intestinal flu include sore throat, dry cough and nasal congestion.

The symptoms of intestinal flu in adults and children are absolutely identical, differing only in intensity. Intestinal infection is very acute and violent, accompanied by the following symptoms:

diarrhea up to 10-15 times a day with copious, watery, foamy stools with a pungent odor;
nausea and vomiting up to 3-4 times a day;
severe pain in a stomach;
high temperature;
increasing weakness;
cough and runny nose.

As a result of diarrhea and vomiting, fluid loss occurs - exicosis, the signs of which are manifested in the following:

constant thirst
dry skin and mucous membranes
chapped lips
sunken eyes
rare and scanty urination

Intestinal flu is accompanied by frequent episodes of vomiting and diarrhea, which provoke rapid removal of fluid from the body, and as a result the development of a typical clinical picture of dehydration, including dry skin, decreased diuresis, skin turgor and muscle mass. The deterioration of the patient's condition is observed against the background of dysbiosis, the development of which is associated with the removal of beneficial intestinal microflora.

Important! Rotavirus infection can easily be confused with ordinary intestinal poisoning, so you should consult a specialist for an accurate diagnosis.

Symptoms of intestinal flu pose a danger to human health and life. Thus, prolonged vomiting and prolonged diarrhea lead to rapid loss of fluid by the body and, as a result, dehydration. In addition, with repeated diarrhea, all the beneficial microelements previously received from food are removed from the intestines, as a result of which dysbiosis develops (disturbance of the microflora).

The fever with intestinal flu lasts up to 5 days or more, and antipyretic drugs are powerless. It is necessary to consult a doctor at the first manifestations of the disease.

Symptoms of intestinal flu are very often confused with ordinary poisoning, or appendicitis, which is why incorrect treatment is often prescribed, especially if the patient does not go to the doctor about the illness, preferring to treat the disease on their own. As a rule, this leads to a rapid deterioration of the patient’s condition and a long recovery from the disease.

Please note: along with intestinal flu, dangerous diseases such as salmonellosis exhibit similar symptoms. Ignoring their symptoms can lead to serious consequences, including death, so the patient must be helped immediately.

Diagnostics

The clinical picture and conduct are important for diagnosis. bacterial cultures feces and vomit. The main task of the doctor is to differentiate diseases that are caused by bacterial pathogenic microflora. Salmonellosis, cholera, typhoid fever and dysentery should be excluded.

Monitoring of the healing process takes place under constant monitoring of a general blood count and biochemical blood test, in which the parameters of creatinine and urea levels are important. These indicators can signal the beginning of the process of dehydration.

Interesting to know! Diagnosis of intestinal flu is complicated by the fact that the symptoms of this disease can be inherent in a huge number of other intestinal infections and diseases of the digestive system, for example, gastritis, enterocolitis, gastroenteritis, and intestinal dysbiosis.

Examination of a patient with suspected stomach flu should include the following methods:

Questioning the patient. Important role the combination of respiratory disorders and intoxication with intestinal disorders. It is necessary to clarify whether there was any contact with a patient with intestinal flu.
When examining the patient, you can see a coated tongue, redness of the throat, and bloating. Increased intestinal motility and rumbling in the abdomen are also heard. On auscultation of the lungs it is noted hard breathing, there may be isolated dry wheezing.
In a general blood test, an increase in the number of white blood cells, a shift in the leukocyte formula to the left, and an acceleration of erythrocyte sedimentation are observed.
In a general urine test, protein, leukocytes, erythrocytes, and hyaline casts are determined.
Stomach flu can be identified using polymerase chain reaction, passive hemagglutination test, complement fixation test, enzyme immunoassay and other modern methods.
A little long, but no less accurate virological method. Its essence is to seed material onto a cell culture or chicken embryo.

Modern medicine has in its arsenal the following additional methods Diagnosis of intestinal flu:

polymerase chain reaction;
passive hemagglutination;
complement fixation reaction;
immunofluorescence;
general blood and urine analysis.

It is worth noting that the first four studies on the list are quite expensive, so it is better if they are prescribed by a doctor if there is a confirmed suspicion of rotavirus infection.

Treatment

Treatment of intestinal flu is carried out individually in each specific case. The main measures are aimed at restoring the water-salt balance, which is destabilized as a result of vomiting and diarrhea, as well as eliminating intoxication. Thus, treatment is symptomatic and is designed to reduce the harmful effects of the virus on the human body.

If you suspect that you have intestinal flu, treatment in adults, as such, consists of combating intoxication, as well as normalizing water-salt metabolism, impaired by diarrhea and vomiting.

Doctors are taking measures aimed at eliminating dehydration, reducing toxicity, and establishing normal functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. Children and adults with severe illness are recommended to undergo rehydration therapy.

Traditional

Drug treatment for intestinal flu is selected by the doctor strictly individually, taking into account not only Clinical signs, present in the patient, but also data from instrumental and laboratory tests. At favorable course diseases, patients can be treated in outpatient setting, with the exception of intestinal flu during pregnancy, which requires immediate hospitalization and taking all necessary measures to combat dehydration.

To the main therapeutic activities relate:

Taking antipyretic drugs to normalize body temperature: aspirin, paracetamol, analgin.
Normalization of stool by taking drugs with absorbent properties.
Short-term use of medications with digestive enzymes.
Compliance with dietary nutrition.
Drink more to maintain normal water balance body. Rehydration therapy is used to combat signs of dehydration.
Restoration of intestinal microflora.

Due to the fact that body temperature usually increases during intestinal flu, it is necessary to lower it using drugs such as Paracetamol. In situations where the use of these drugs is not permissible, how to normalize the temperature should be used intramuscular injection Aspirin and Diphenhydramine. As a rule, such injections are not accompanied by pronounced therapeutic effect.

To eliminate diarrhea, you need to use special antiviral and antibacterial agents. In addition to the pathogenetic treatment of diarrhea, drugs are recommended to improve the digestion process and against excessive fermentation in the intestines.

In order to prevent or eliminate the existing intoxication syndrome, sorbents are recommended: “Smecta”, “Neosmectite”, “Polysorb”, activated carbon. These drugs help remove viruses and their toxins from the body more quickly.

Important! Intestinal flu in children should be differentiated from salmonellosis, cholera, and any other food poisoning.

Therapy of the disease is aimed at preventing dehydration of the body due to vomiting and diarrhea, restoring the water-salt balance. The main drugs prescribed are:

“Attapulgite” is an adsorbent antidiarrheal agent that helps remove toxins from the body and reduce the manifestations of intestinal infection;
"Regidron" is a remedy for correcting acidosis and restoring the electrolyte balance of the body;
Activated carbon - natural preparation, adsorbent;
"Cefekon" is an antipyretic and anti-inflammatory drug. The form of release recommended for the treatment of children under 3 years of age is suppositories for topical use;
"Enterofuril" is an antiseptic, a drug for diarrhea of non-helminthic origin, approved for use by children over 1 month of age.

When proper treatment the disease resolves within 7 days and does not cause complications. After eliminating its symptoms, it is recommended that the child be given the drug Bifidumbacterin for 1 week, the effect of which is aimed at maintaining normal intestinal microflora.

Folk remedies

There are also traditional medicine recipes that can be used as aids, after consulting a doctor.

The most common:

Blueberry root and marsh cudweed
To prepare dried infusion in a glass boiled water add a tablespoon of herbs, leave for 2 hours and filter. The infusion is taken warm, half a glass 30 minutes before meals, 3 times a day. And after the consistency of your stool finally returns to normal, you can start taking a decoction of the roots of cyanosis. To prepare it, pour a glass of boiling water into a tablespoon of chopped roots, hold for a while over low heat, cool and strain. Take 1 tablespoon of the decoction before bed.
St. John's wort decoction
Take a tablespoon of this herb, pour a glass of boiling water, hold for 30 minutes in a water bath and strain thoroughly. Add 1 more cup of boiling water to the remaining liquid. Take 1/3 cup 30 minutes before meals. This product can be stored in the refrigerator, but not longer than 2 days.
Mineral still water
It can be taken as a rehydration agent. The content of salts and trace elements will help get rid of dehydration.
Honey with lemon
If there is no diarrhea, you can use a mixture of lemon juice and beekeeping products. Dissolve a large spoonful of honey in water (1 tbsp.), Pour the juice of a whole lemon into a glass. Take the solution after meals up to 4 times a day, 1 tbsp.
Linden, chamomile, rose hips, willow
Mix the mixture well and take 1 spoon from it. Brew it with boiling water (250 ml) and let it brew for 15 minutes. Strain, drink a third of a glass 3 times.
carrot
This drink is recommended for babies aged six months and older. Wash and peel half a kilo of carrots. Cut and cook in a liter of water for an hour. Afterwards, the carrots should be ground in a blender and the mixture should be boiled for another half hour. Cool the broth and refrigerate. The child should be given a little of the drug in a warm form.

Also, to restore the epithelium of the stomach, it is useful to take a decoction of rose hips or herbal infusions:

chamomile;
plantain;
sage;
thyme.

Can be used as antiseptics essential oils:

tea tree;
juniper;
cedar;
pine trees;
eucalyptus.

In the first days of the disease with acute symptoms ethnoscience suggests maintaining a water-tea diet for 6 to 12 hours. During this period, the patient is given nothing but sorbents, aqueous solutions and liquids.

Rotavirus infection is accompanied by a decrease or loss of appetite. When severe course disease, you need to drink at least 2 liters of liquid every day: strong brewed black tea without aromatic additives, decoction of raspberries, currants, rose hips. Milk and all its derivatives should not be consumed, since dairy products have a laxative effect on the human intestines, and in this case, on the contrary, it is necessary to fix it.

Foods you should eat for intestinal flu include:

dried bread;
pasta;
cereals boiled in water (semolina, rice, buckwheat);
chicken eggs (hard-boiled, no more than 1 egg per day).

Products that are strictly prohibited for use are included in a special list, which must be kept in front of the eyes of any mother whose child has fallen ill. These products are grouped according to their functions and effects on the intestinal tract: they enhance the functioning of the intestinal tract and bile secretion, lead to fermentation processes in the intestinal tract:

whole milk;
porridge with whole milk;
yoghurts, fermented baked milk, cream;
legumes, mushrooms, nuts;
vegetables and fruits rich dietary fiber (White cabbage, sauerkraut, beets, cucumbers, radishes, turnips, radishes, lettuce, spinach, grapes, plums, apricots);
fatty meats and poultry;
strong meat and fish broths;
pickling, smoking, marinades;
rye bread and rye crackers;
sweet bakery and confectionery;
carbonated drinks;
fatty fish.

Gradually, low-fat soups, vegetables stewed without salt and spices, mashed potatoes, grated cottage cheese, fresh fruits, and berries can be included in the patient's diet gradually.

During the treatment period, it is forbidden to eat fatty foods, sweets, any foods that can cause bloating and diarrhea.

The basis of the drinking regimen should be slightly salted water (it is better to use Regidron - one bag of powder must be dissolved in a liter of water). Portions of liquid should be minimal (50 ml each), but you need to drink often (every 30 minutes). This will prevent vomiting reflex and replenish moisture deficiency.

Interesting to know! If it is not possible to purchase Regidron, you can prepare saline solution yourself (1 tsp of salt per 1 liter of water).

Since intestinal flu disrupts the production of digestive enzymes, the intestinal flu diet should be as gentle as possible on the gastrointestinal tract. To improve digestion, doctors recommend that patients take Mezim or other enzyme preparations, as well as probiotics.

Diet for intestinal flu should include fermented milk products with minimal fat content. It is healthy to eat steamed vegetables, porridge cooked in water, and steamed omelettes.

A ban is imposed on products that provide a laxative effect (apricots, dried apricots, plums, figs, etc.). You should not consume foods and drinks that provoke a diuretic effect and promote fluid excretion.

It is impossible to introduce dishes and products into the diet of patients fermentative in the intestines (this is cabbage, whole cow's milk, legumes).

During the period of illness, you should not eat food that is difficult for the stomach - first of all, this applies to fatty meats and mushrooms. Marinades, smoked meats, carbonated drinks, and sweets are excluded.

As their condition improves, patients can expand the range of dishes, including lean meats, dairy products, broths, bread and even a small amount of sweets.

The diet for intestinal flu is based on the consumption of simple and easily digestible foods. By eating right, you can significantly alleviate symptoms and speed up recovery.

Prevention

Stomach flu is an infectious disease, so a person infected with the virus must be isolated from others. You should not eat from the same dish with him, and you should also constantly monitor the cleanliness of your hands. It is worth noting that drug prevention cannot protect against gastroenteritis, so medications should be taken only after the disease has been identified.

Important! The most important rule that helps protect a person from rotavirus infection is compliance with basic rules of personal hygiene.

After long-term observations, doctors concluded that exacerbation of intestinal infections is observed in the preseason periods of acute respiratory infections, during the period of mass vitamin deficiency, and in the summer. Prevention of intestinal flu requires an integrated approach:

The most important thing is to observe the rules of personal hygiene. Wash your hands before eating and after each visit to the toilet, as well as after contact with money, returning from the street (especially if you were in a public place).
Touch your face and mouth less with dirty hands.
Objects that fall on the floor, even if on the carpet, need to be wiped or washed.
It’s better not to drink tap water at all, and if you do, do it only after boiling.
All food products should be washed and, if possible, heat treated, especially dairy products, vegetables and fruits. Remember that viruses are very tenacious, and if you think that an apple that has lain in the refrigerator for several days can be eaten unwashed, this is not so.
At the time of treatment, provide the patient with separate dishes.
The room where the patient stayed, household items with which he was in contact, must be disinfected. Traditional detergents, unfortunately, are not effective for disinfestation. The only thing that will help is treatment with highly concentrated chlorine-containing solutions. This also applies to sanitary rooms (toilet, bathroom).
If one of your loved ones has caught the intestinal flu, they need to be isolated from healthy household members or at least reduce physical contact. Always have it on hand hygiene products(wet wipes, antiseptic sprays, gels). Especially if you are in nature, at the dacha, at the sea, on a walk, where it is not always possible to thoroughly wash your hands with soap.

Balanced diet nutrition, maintaining the body's water balance, physical active image life – typical recommendations for maintaining health.

It is important to keep your hands clean, especially after being in crowded places or visiting public toilets, shops, offices. This recommendation especially relevant in summer period when the virus is extremely viable. As with any other disease, it is much easier to avoid contracting rotavirus infection than to subsequently get rid of its symptoms.

During periods of epidemics, avoid eating at public catering establishments. Raw water can only be used after preliminary filtration. It is recommended to boil water thoroughly before drinking, especially for young children.

Intestinal flu is an infectious disease that is quite acute. Gastroenteritis has clear symptoms, but its symptoms are characteristic of other serious diseases, therefore, to diagnose and treat the disease, it is necessary to seek professional help. At the same time, it is much easier to prevent infection with rotavirus, for which you need to follow basic rules of personal hygiene and minimize contact with a sick person.