Chronic intestinal infection symptoms. Acute intestinal infection

Everyone faces intestinal infections. They are caused by toxins of bacteria and viruses. The presence of pathogenic microflora in the digestive tract is indicated by the following signs: fever, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea. The severity of symptoms depends on the severity of the disease and the type of pathogen.

What diseases are classified as intestinal infections?

There are several forms of intestinal infection, depending on the affected part of the gastrointestinal tract:

• when the large intestine is damaged, colitis develops;
• when bacteria appear on the gastric mucosa, gastritis occurs;
• inflammation of the small intestine is called enteritis;
• for inflammation duodenum and gastroduodenitis appears in the stomach;
• An inflammatory process involving the small and large intestines is called enterocolitis.

Types and classification

Most often, intestinal infections occur in the presence of the following pathogens:

1. Staphylococcus aureus . This type bacteria is pathogenic. The microorganism most often develops in mayonnaise and custard.
2. Wax bacillus (Bacillus cereus) . The risk of infection arises from improper preparation of dishes, as well as consumption of frozen foods.
3. Clostridia. This microorganism can become infected by eating poor quality food. Most bright representative- botulism bacterium.
4. Vibrio cholerae. This pathogen lives in water and is transmitted through products that have been exposed to drops of contaminated water.
5. Escherichia coli. Infection, as in the previous case, occurs when drinking unboiled water.
6. Salmonella. Served with meat and eggs that are not fully cooked;
7. Yersinia. The bacteria are contracted through meat and dairy products.
8. Vibrio parahaemolyticus. There is a risk of infection from eating seafood.

The causative agents of intestinal infections of a viral nature are transmitted through household items, mainly with saliva. Diseases of this group spread quickly in children's groups.

Taking into account the pathogen, intestinal infections are divided into:

1. Bacterial. This includes many diseases, the most common of which are: paratyphoid A and B, typhoid fever, botulism, dysentery, Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection, salmonellosis, staphylococcus infection, cholera, escherichiosis.
2. Viral. Diseases in this group are caused by reovirus, adenovirus, coronavirus, rotavirus, and enterovirus.
3. Protozoans. Caused by Giardia, Amoeba, Schistosoma, Cryptosporidium.

Symptoms

At first, the disease does not show any signs. The pathogenic flora continues to multiply, the patient experiences abdominal pain, which becomes spasmodic.

It is difficult to diagnose an intestinal infection caused by a virus. Symptoms of this disease, like any other viral infection, are:

• headache;
• rapid pulse;
• diarrhea;
• muscle pain;
• weakness;
• photophobia;
• convulsions;
• heartache.

Intestinal viruses are dangerous because they affect the skin, muscles, heart, nervous system and skin. Adenoviruses cause catarrhal symptoms. Due to the activity of the pathogen, the patient’s energy metabolism is disrupted, energy reserves are quickly burned, and the body is exhausted.

General symptoms

Among the main symptoms of the disease are:

• abdominal pain;
• vomiting;
• constipation;
• lack of appetite;
• bad dream.

Abdominal pain lasts for 3–4 minutes, and the symptom becomes more frequent as the infection progresses. If the intestines become infected due to worms, constipation begins. Subsequently, the patient’s immunity decreases and anemia develops, since pathogenic organisms interfere with the absorption of nutrients and vitamins.

Lack of sleep causes fatigue and headaches. This sign indicates increased reproduction of yeast fungi in the body. A little later, the disease manifests itself in rashes that cause severe itching.

Temperature

This is the very first sign of the disease. It appears when vomiting and diarrhea are not yet pronounced.

When infected with an intestinal infection, the patient develops a fever. It reaches 37.5 degrees, and often higher. In addition, the patient complains of headaches and nausea. He loses his appetite. The temperature, as a rule, stays at the same level. If it rises sharply, this indicates complications of the infection.

The temperature also leads to severe dehydration, so it must be brought down when the reading exceeds 37.5 degrees.

Vomiting, diarrhea

Vomiting and diarrhea are the main signs of gastrointestinal infections. They arise due to disturbances in the microflora of the gastrointestinal tract. The condition is extremely dangerous because it causes dehydration.

Each disease has its own characteristics of stool. Gastroenteritis is characterized by mushy stools, which then become watery. The color of the stool indicates the specific pathogen. Green indicates salmonellosis, light brown indicates escherichiosis. In addition, gastroenteritis is indicated by the presence of mucus and food debris in the stool. Brown stool is a sign of a viral intestinal infection.

Enteritis is accompanied by loose stools, while the patient has no abdominal pain or nausea. Typically, such signs indicate cholera.

Gastroenterocolitis always occurs with vomiting and diarrhea. The pain in the abdomen is very severe, relief does not come even after defecation. Mucus and blood are often found in the stool.

Enterocolitis has symptoms characteristic of dysentery and salmonellosis. Loose stools usually alternate with mucus discharge.

Colitis causes pain in the lower abdomen. Defecation is also painful, but short-term relief is possible after it. The diarrhea may be mushy and may contain blood and mucus.

Treatment

The patient is prescribed gastric lavage, as well as a special diet. If you have intestinal infections, you should not drink juices. dairy products, citrus fruits, beets, legumes, black bread, as well as meat and fish broths. Portions during this period are reduced by half, and the number of meals is increased to 5–8.

Treatment of children under 1 year of age must be carried out in a clinical setting, since dehydration in them quickly leads to death.

High temperature is an additional factor that causes dehydration. The patient needs to take antipyretics to prevent this complication. For the same reason, it is necessary to compensate for the loss of fluid.

Vomiting also leads to dehydration. Therefore, if the intestines are infected, you need to drink saline solutions. It is not advisable to take antiemetic drugs, since through vomiting the body gets rid of toxic products.

Pharmacy drugs

The action of drugs prescribed for the treatment of intestinal infections should be aimed at:

1. Elimination of the pathogen.
2. Restoration of intestinal microflora.
3. Restoration of metabolic processes, water and salt reserves in the body.

The pathogen is killed by taking antibiotics. The doctor selects the appropriate drug, depending on the type of infection. To identify the pathogen, stool and vomit are analyzed. The main antibiotics used to treat intestinal infections are:

1. Fluoroquinolones.
2. Tetracyclines.
3. Amphenicols.
4. Metronidazole.

The patient must be prescribed enterosorbents that remove toxins unchanged and prevent their absorption. These drugs include:

1. Enterosgel.
2. Activated carbon.
3. Polysorb.
4. Smecta.

To normalize the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, antidiarrheal drugs are taken:

1. Phthalazol.
2. Loperamide.
3. Stopdiar.

These medications are taken after each bowel movement.

To relieve pain, you will need painkillers. They are taken only after examination by a doctor, since they can change the course of the disease, making it difficult to make a diagnosis.

To replenish fluid reserves, take Polysorb or Regidron. Intravenous infusions of a solution of sodium chloride and glucose may also be prescribed.

When the signs of the disease disappear, Pancreatin or Mezim, as well as probiotics, are used to speed up digestion. These medications are taken with food.

Possible complications

A dangerous consequence of intestinal infections is dehydration. With diarrhea and vomiting, useful minerals are removed from the body, which can cause death. To prevent this, the patient must take sufficient quantity water. You should be concerned if you notice signs of dehydration, which can only be eliminated in a clinical setting.

The following signs indicate dehydration:

• dark color of urine;
• vomiting that does not allow you to compensate for the loss of fluid;
• dull skin;
• lack of urination for more than 6 hours;
• sunken eyes;
• dry tongue.

With dehydration, diarrhea may disappear, but abdominal pain continues to bother you. Body temperature also rises, which increases vomiting.

The consequence of high temperature can be infectious-toxic shock, since in the blood there is high concentration microbial waste products.

In addition, pneumonia and kidney failure can result from intestinal infection. This is the result of insufficient fluid intake.

More than 90% of adult patients are cured of intestinal infections without problems; complications rarely arise. But children show signs of dehydration very quickly.

Infection with intestinal infection

Each pathogen, once in the body, acts in one of the following ways:

• destroys the intestinal epithelium, causing inflammation in it. This is how salmonella, E. coli, shigella, yersinia, and viruses act;
• actively multiplies in the intestines, suppressing local microflora and releasing enterotoxin. This is typical for the causative agents of cholera and clostridiosis. Most strains of E. coli behave this way.

Infection of the gastrointestinal tract is possible in two ways: household and oral-fecal. Infection always occurs through the mouth.

The most common causes of the disease are:

• failure to comply with hygiene procedures;
• eating unwashed vegetables and fruits.

In addition, the pathogen can enter the body with products that have been stored incorrectly or for too long.

If the products were processed in unsanitary conditions, even heat treatment will not protect against infection. Microorganisms that cause intestinal infections can survive even in low temperatures.

Most often, infection occurs through the consumption of meat, eggs, dairy products, fish, and water. The likelihood of infection is high if water is swallowed while swimming in a pond. The disease is more common in children and older people over 60 years of age.

Prevention

To prevent the development of intestinal infections, it is recommended to adhere to the following rules:

• wash your hands before eating;
• exclude sweets with a variety of cream fillings in hot weather;
• adhere to storage conditions food products, do not exceed the deadlines;
• wash fruits, vegetables and berries well before eating;
• Make sure that the milk and meat consumed are fresh. It is recommended to boil milk;
• Boil water, or drink mineral water.

Intestinal infections are a fairly common disease, the appearance of which is most often facilitated by insufficient hygiene. There are many causative agents of the disease, and treatment is carried out after determining the type of disease. Self-treatment of intestinal infections is not allowed, because antibiotics for each pathogen are prescribed individually.

Therapeutic measures should be aimed at preventing dehydration and replenishing electrolytes. Dehydration is the most severe consequence of the disease. It leads to more severe conditions and sometimes even death.

Acute intestinal infection is one of the most common diseases among children and adults. This is a large group of different diseases that affect the human stomach. The disease develops after infection with a variety of pathogenic microorganisms. At the same time, microbes do not begin to act immediately after entering the human body.

The first signs of the disease may appear only 10-50 hours after infection. But after this, the course of the disease becomes more intense.

Among intestinal infections, the most dangerous are considered salmonellosis, dysentery and staphylococcus. Most often they are diagnosed in the summer, when the weather is hot. Typically, the disease is transmitted through handshakes, use general subjects hygiene, toys (especially in kindergartens and primary school), as well as by airborne droplets. With timely and correct treatment, the first symptoms of acute intestinal infection disappear within 3-5 days. But for complete recovery it is necessary to take medications for at least 10 days.

Today, all intestinal infections can be divided into viral and bacterial.

Main reasons

As a rule, pathogenic microorganisms enter the human body along with dirt. The main causes of the disease are:

Symptoms of intestinal infection

The most dangerous and common symptom is diarrhea.. It can lead to dehydration, and this is a sure path to other diseases. However, in adult patients, acute intestinal infection often does not manifest itself for a long time. Due to the fact that there are no symptoms, it is quite difficult to make a diagnosis in time. But in children this disease is always much more difficult. Also signs of an intestinal infection are:

1. Itching and rashes on the skin.
2. Pain and cramps in the abdomen.
3. Decreased appetite.
4. Constipation (if the cause of the problem is helminthic infestation).
5. Poor sleep, irritability and bad mood.
6. The immune system is greatly weakened - the body cannot absorb essential vitamins due to bacteria.
7. At night the patient grinds his teeth (this is especially true in children).

Also, anemia may appear against the background of this disease. If the infection was caused by yeast, then patients will experience a symptom in the form of a severe headache, as well as prolonged depression. Often many acute intestinal infections are accompanied by vomiting.

What bacteria cause the disease?

As mentioned above, such infections are transmitted through unwashed hands, poor-quality vegetables and fruits, improperly prepared food, and untreated water. The most common bacteria that cause this type of disease are:

Very often, an acute intestinal infection manifests itself after the body enters enteroviruses and rotaviruses. They develop when basic hygiene rules are not followed and unwashed foods are consumed.

Rotavirus infection enters the human body by airborne droplets. The most common illness is gastroenteritis or intestinal flu. Typically, epidemics of these diseases appear in preschool and school institutions. Children are very susceptible to infection. But since the body develops its own defense, each time the disease is less severe. The main symptoms of the disease are: fever up to 39 degrees, vomiting, sore throat and runny nose.

Enterovirus accompanied by high fever and affects the muscles, nervous system, and skin. There is also an adenovirus infection that affects the eyes and nose, but it is extremely rare.

Acute intestinal infection in children: signs and features

Most of all intestinal infections develop in young patients. The symptoms of the disease are always more pronounced in them, and the disease itself is severe. Infection usually occurs through the consumption of poor-quality water, dairy products, vegetables and fruits, insufficient hand hygiene, and due to contact with other sick children and adults. Around the world, about 1 million children under two years of age die annually from acute intestinal infections.

The most common diseases in children are:

1. Salmonellosis.
2. Intestinal flu (rotavirus infections).
3. Dysentery.
4. Enteroviruses.
5. Escherichosis.

Regardless of what caused the disease, the main symptoms and signs of the disease are: fever, pain in the abdomen, upset stool, vomiting, and chills.

If diarrhea or vomiting is present Rapid dehydration also occurs. The child is constantly thirsty and cannot urinate. Due to poor appetite, the baby loses weight. The child becomes weak, irritable, lethargic and sleepy. To bring the baby out of this state, you need to give him more water and electrolyte solution. Enterofuril is one of the most effective remedies against intestinal infections in children. But please note that it can be given from the first month of life.

If you have a very high body temperature that is difficult to bring down, and nothing helps with dehydration, be sure to call a doctor. After such poisoning, children should be put on a special diet. It is allowed to give only oatmeal, buckwheat or rice porridge; you can gradually introduce dietary meats and low-fat cottage cheese.

Intestinal infection and pregnancy

As a rule, intestinal diseases during pregnancy do not pose any danger to either the baby or his mother. This is explained by inflammation occurs only in the intestines. But if the body becomes dehydrated, the process of oxygen supply to the fetus may be disrupted. The symptoms of the disease are similar to those described above.

How to treat intestinal infection in adults

The main treatment regimen is not affected in any way by the causative agent of the disease. To make a diagnosis, the doctor examines the patient and performs a stool analysis. The main goals of treatment are:

It is worth paying attention that if the patient does not eat according to special diet, then the treatment will be ineffective.

The most popular antibiotics for the treatment of acute intestinal infections in adults are medications that are included in the group fluoroquinolones (Norfloxacin and Ciprofloxacin). These antibacterial agents are quite effective, as they are well absorbed into the intestines. This disease can also be treated with levomecithin, an antibiotic that helps eliminate pathogenic microflora and normalize stool.

To eliminate dehydration of the body, droppers are used saline solution. Drugs such as Glucosalan and Regidron are suitable for oral use.

To eliminate diarrhea Smecta, activated carbon or carbolong are prescribed.

To restore normal microflora, popular probiotics are used, for example, Acylol or Linex.

Treatment of intestinal infection in pregnant women

During pregnancy only a doctor can prescribe effective and safe treatment. To treat the main symptom (diarrhea), you can use Smecta, but you can take no more than three sachets of medication per day. Salmonellosis and dysentery can only be cured with antibiotics. Pregnant women are usually prescribed Amoxicillin or Cefazolin. Remember, untimely or incorrect treatment can lead to the development of chronic infection.

Treatment of intestinal infection and proper diet

For acute intestinal infection it is recommended Healthy food. This will help prevent the development of pathogenic microorganisms. Oatmeal or rice porridge salt-free water has a calming effect on the intestines. With a mild form of the disease, you can stick to your usual diet. But at the same time, the amount of food must be reduced by 30%.

Fermented milk products should not be added to the diet of small children under four months. If infants have been diagnosed with a severe form of the disease, they should be given special mixtures containing lactobacilli and bifidobacteria.

If you have an intestinal infection, you should completely exclude the following foods from your diet:

1. Black varieties of bread.
2. Dairy products (ryazhenka, whole milk, cream, yogurt).
3. Citrus.
4. Some types of vegetables (peas, beans, beets).
5. Broths on fish or meat.

At the same time, try to add pureed porridge, slimy soups, rosehip decoction and jelly to your daily diet. For a quick recovery, you can eat pumpkin, bird cherry, carrots and blueberries.

Food is best cooked by steaming, while boiling well. Drinking plenty of fluids is recommended.

Prevention

The main preventive measure is proper personal hygiene and using only fresh, quality food. Try to wash your hands frequently and thoroughly, especially before eating, handle vegetables and fruits well, and cook meat and fish properly. Do not store raw foods with cooked foods. Never drink tap water. For cooking and drinking, only mineral or purified water can be used. Store cooked foods in the refrigerator, but remember that they cannot stay there for long. Try to be outdoors more often.

Acute intestinal infections include typhoid fever, paratyphoid fevers A and B, salmonellosis, dysentery, cholera, infectious hepatitis, etc.

Characterized by the following main features:

• fecal-oral mechanism of infection, i.e. the pathogen enters the body through the mouth, and the pathogen is localized in the intestine;
• food, water and contact-household transmission routes;
• damage to the gastrointestinal tract;
• autumn-summer seasonality.

The sources of acute intestinal infections are mainly sick people and bacteria carriers. Sources of salmonellosis can be sick animals or poultry.

Infection with intestinal infections can occur through contact with a sick person or bacteria carrier, consumption of contaminated water or contaminated food products. Pathogens of intestinal infections are transmitted by flies, cockroaches and rodents. Intestinal infections are called “diseases of dirty hands”, since pathogens from the unwashed hands of a patient or bacteria carrier get onto food, dishes, and various objects, which leads to the spread of infection.

The causative agents of intestinal infections are resistant to various influences and persist for a long time in external environment, for example, in tap water - up to 3 months, on vegetables and fruits - from 5 days to 14 weeks. Food products, especially and, as well as culinary products and cold dishes, are the most favorable environment for pathogens of intestinal infections. In them, microbes, primarily salmonella and Sonne's dysentery bacillus, can multiply at temperatures from 20 to 40 ° C.

Typhoid fever and paratyphoid fever

The causative agent of typhoid fever is a movable bacillus of the genus Salmonella. The source of infection is only a person - a patient or a bacteria carrier. The incubation period for typhoid fever can last from 7 to 25 days, for paratyphoid fever - from 2 to 14 days. Typhoid fever can be severe with a characteristic typhoid state, delirium, rash and lead to death. Paratyphoid fevers A and B are similar to typhoid fever, but occur without severe intoxication and the prognosis is favorable.

Salmonellosis

Salmonellosis caused by bacteria of the genus Salmonella, widespread in nature. Salmonella are causative agents of diseases in large cattle, pigs, poultry, etc. The main source of infection is poultry, especially waterfowl. Cats, dogs, rodents, etc. are also affected. Carriage of salmonella in the intestines is common among animals and birds.

In total, about 2000 types of Salmonella are known, more than 100 of them are pathogenic not only for animals, but also for humans. Salmonella are resistant to all environmental factors and remain viable for a long time when freezing and marinating meat. They can remain viable in food products for many days and months. In meat, fish, and dairy products, salmonella multiply well without changing the organoleptic properties of the products. Optimal temperature for salmonella reproduction is 30-37 °C. At temperatures below 5 °C, the growth of Salmonella completely stops. At temperatures above 50 °C, the reproduction of salmonella stops; when heated to 60 °C, these bacteria die in an hour, at 70 °C - after 30 minutes, at 80 °C - after 10 minutes, and when boiling - instantly.

At public catering establishments, the danger is posed by patients or bacteria carriers, i.e. people who have had salmonellosis. Chronic carriage occurs in 2.5-5% of those who have recovered from the disease.

Recently, the main causes of salmonellosis are eggs, egg products and poultry meat. Contaminated or cracked or broken eggs can be especially dangerous. During long-term storage, salmonella penetrate from the surface into the yolk of the egg, where, favorable temperature multiply quickly. Lysozyme, contained in egg whites, inhibits the growth of salmonella.

A common cause of salmonellosis is the consumption of meat and meat products. Meat can be infected during the life of the animal as a result of salmonellosis or when the animal is weakened or injured, when salmonella from the intestines penetrates into internal organs and muscle tissue. Contamination of meat is possible during the slaughter process, as well as during subsequent cutting of the carcass and processing of meat. Meat from forcedly slaughtered animals can most often cause salmonellosis.

Currently, infection of meat due to violations of the production technology of meat products is becoming increasingly important. Infection of products that have already undergone heat treatment is often observed as a result of contact with raw materials or with contaminated hands, tools and equipment.

The intensity of contamination increases sharply when grinding meat and preparing minced meat due to the spread of microorganisms throughout the entire mass of the product. Of particular danger are chopped products, pates, jelly and jellied, liver and blood sausages, navy-style pasta, etc.

The incubation period for salmonellosis ranges from 6 to 48 hours. The disease can occur in different forms and with different severity of the course. Characteristic symptoms include an increase in temperature to 38 °C or more, abdominal pain, aches, weakness, vomiting, and frequent bowel movements.

In food establishments, in order to prevent salmonellosis, the following should be observed: anti-epidemic and sanitary-hygienic rules:

• do not accept meat without a brand, and all agricultural products of animal origin - without a veterinary certificate;
• do not accept waterfowl eggs;
• do not allow employees who suffer from salmonellosis or are bacteria carriers to work;
• use only drinking water for washing dishes, equipment and for technological purposes;
• conduct targeted control of rodents as possible sources of food contamination, as well as control of flies that carry pathogens;
• strictly observe the rules of the sanitary regime of the enterprise and personal hygiene of personnel;
• follow the rules for processing raw materials using cold at all stages of the technological process;
• carry out processing and disinfection of raw eggs;
• for fried eggs and creams, use only diet eggs;
• store raw materials, semi-finished products, culinary products at a temperature not exceeding 6 °C;
• follow the rules of heat treatment of products - the temperature inside meat products must not be lower than 85 ° C, milk must be boiled or pasteurized;
• strictly adhere to the sales deadlines established for each product and for ready-made food.

Dysentery

Pathogens of dysentery- dysentery bacilli from the genus Shigella. Their source can be a sick person and a bacteria carrier. Last time common reason dysentery - dairy products. This is due to the fact that Sonne bacillus is able to multiply and accumulate in starter cultures and dairy products. It lasts in milk for more than two weeks, in sour cream for 11-86 days, in vegetables and fruits for 3-8 days. Sonne's dysentery often has a mild, erased course, and many people who have recovered from the disease develop a carrier state of the bacteria when self-medicating.

Water transmission of infection is characteristic mainly of Flexner's dysentery, and contact-domestic transmission is characteristic of Grigoriev-Shiga dysentery. The danger is posed by the consumption of products that are not heat-treated before consumption - vegetables, fruits and berries infected with sick people and bacteria carriers or contaminated soil. When boiling water, milk, or cooking food, dysentery bacilli quickly die.

The duration of the incubation period for dysentery ranges from 1 to 7 days (usually 2-3 days). The disease develops acutely, stools become more frequent up to 10-12 times a day, mucus and blood appear in the stool. Possible development chronic forms dysentery.

Cholera

Cholera is particularly dangerous infections. The causative agents of cholera (Vibrio Asiatic cholera and Vibrio El Tor) remain viable for a long time in the environment, especially in fresh and sea ​​water. The source of infection is only humans. Cholera vibrios enter environment with secretions from patients with typical or erased forms of cholera, as well as from convalescents and vibrio carriers. The leading factor in the transmission of cholera is water. Diseases can be associated with the consumption of infected products - milk, vegetables, berries, etc. Vibrio cholerae survives on vegetables and fruits for up to 20 days, in butter- up to 30. It persists for a long time in both fresh and sea water, infecting various aquatic organisms.

Eating fish, crabs, and shellfish without careful heat treatment has repeatedly led to the development of the disease.

The incubation period of cholera ranges from several hours to 5 days, most often being 2-3 days. The disease begins suddenly. Characteristic symptoms of cholera are rice-water diarrhea, calf muscle cramps, repeated profuse vomiting, and dehydration. In severe and fulminant forms of the disease, mortality can be high. With El Tor cholera, erased forms and asymptomatic vibrio carriage are often observed.

Coli infections

Coli infections are capable of causing certain types of Escherichia coli (E. coli) - enteropathogenic (EPKP), enterotoxigenic (ETKP), etc. Enteropathogenic E. coli cause coli infections in children under two years of age. Enterotoxigenic E. coli are the cause of an illness called traveler's diarrhea. Coli infections occur when consuming contaminated water, dairy products, and foods that have not been cooked before consumption. Coli infections are common in underdeveloped countries with low sanitary standards of the population.

Viral hepatitis A

The pathogen belongs to the group of enteroviruses. Source of infection- a sick person and a virus carrier. The main route of transmission of the virus is fecal-oral, but parenteral transmission is possible, and airborne transmission is suspected. Children (after one year) and young people are most susceptible to infection. The incubation period for hepatitis A averages 21-28 days (range 7 to 50 days). Symptoms of the disease are weakness, nausea, vomiting, pain in the right hypochondrium, jaundice, etc. The prognosis is generally favorable.

Acute intestinal infections also include other viral diarrhea (viral gastroenteritis): rotavirus, arvovirus and picornovirus, which can be transmitted from person to person through household contact, as well as with contaminated water or food. Viruses do not multiply in food products.

Yersiniosis

Yersiniosis, as well as salmonellosis, are a zooanthroponotic infection that occurs mainly as a toxic infection. Yersiniosis includes pseudotuberculosis and intestinal yersiniosis, the causative agent of which is bacilli from the genus Yersinia.

Outbreaks of yersiniosis are observed in connection with the consumption of salads made from fresh and sauerkraut, grated carrots, green onions, cucumbers and other vegetables. Less commonly, the cause of the disease is dairy and meat products. The source of infection is livestock, cats, dogs, rabbits, birds, rodents, etc., as well as sick people and bacteria carriers. Rodents infect vegetables in fields and vegetable stores. Yersinia multiplies on the surface of vegetables, accumulating in significant quantities by spring. Low temperatures do not stop their growth; when boiled, they die instantly. The incubation period can range from 3 to 18 days. With pseudotuberculosis, sore throat, fever, redness of the face, neck, hands and feet are observed. Yersiniosis is characterized by dyspepsia, rash, liver and joint damage, and the disease can take a chronic course.

Prevention of this disease is strict adherence to the rules for storing food products, as well as rules for processing vegetables, making and selling salads from fresh vegetables. Starting March 1, children's groups are prohibited from preparing salads from fresh old-harvest vegetables.

• high level of enterprise improvement;
• strict adherence to the sanitary regime of cleaning, disinfection, disinfestation and deratization;
• strict adherence to personal hygiene rules;
• timely identification of patients and carriers and their isolation;
• compliance with sanitary and hygienic requirements during the production, storage and sale of food and food products.

Intestinal infection, or poisoning, is a common disease, which ranks second in prevalence in the world after colds and ARVI. The peak incidence occurs in the warm season, and in countries with hot climates, such pathologies are observed all year round, and sometimes become epidemic. In most cases, intestinal infections do not pose a serious health risk, since the body copes with their causes on its own, but in some cases they can cause serious consequences and even death. How to treat an intestinal infection, read on.

Intestinal infections are a number of diseases caused by the activity of pathogenic microorganisms - viruses, bacteria, fungi or protozoa. Most often they enter the body through dirty hands, unwashed vegetables and fruits, and animal products - meat, fish, eggs, milk. Pathogens of intestinal infections can appear on various food products in cases where they have been stored for a long time in inappropriate conditions or have been improperly thermally processed, as a result of which infection can occur when consuming almost any product, including thermally processed ones. The causative agents of intestinal infections are resistant to cold, therefore they retain their pathogenic properties, even if the contaminated products were stored in the refrigerator.

In addition, the cause of infection can be the use of unboiled water or accidental ingestion of it while swimming in reservoirs, as well as close contact with an infected person - kissing, shaking hands, using the same household items. Some protozoa living in tropical countries, are able to penetrate the human body through the skin and mucous membranes. Microorganisms, which are called opportunistic, are present in small quantities in the body of any person, and under favorable conditions they begin to actively multiply, causing manifestations of intestinal infections.

In the process of life, bacteria, viruses and other foreign agents release toxins that cause intoxication of the body, inflammatory processes and destruction of cells of the gastrointestinal mucosa.

For reference: susceptibility to intestinal infections is the same for all people, regardless of age and gender, so anyone can become infected. Children of the first year of life, older people (over 65 years old), and those who suffer from chronic diseases of the stomach and intestines or have weak immunity are most easily infected.

Video - Intestinal infection: what is it?

Types and varieties of intestinal infections

There are several dozen microorganisms that can provoke pathological processes in the intestines - depending on the classification, there are several forms of intestinal infections: bacterial, viral and protozoal.

Table 1. Forms of intestinal infections

A separate group includes intestinal infections of non-bacterial etiology, which are associated with the ingestion of toxins contained in certain foods (mushrooms, shellfish, fish, plants). In addition, there is a form of the disease with an unknown pathogen, which is often called tourist poisoning - it is observed in cases where there are too many possible variants of infection, and it is not possible to isolate one of them.

Important: intestinal infections caused by Vibrio cholera, typhoid fever and dysentery are considered the most severe and dangerous - if left untreated, they can quickly lead to death. Fortunately, today these diseases are rare, mainly in areas with extremely low living standards.

Symptoms of intestinal infection

Intestinal infections, as a rule, begin acutely and suddenly, but sometimes a sluggish course of the disease occurs. When pathogenic microorganisms enter the human body, they quickly penetrate the mucous membranes and blood, and at the onset of the disease, a person feels weakness, mild nausea or a feeling of overeating, and an increase in temperature. Symptoms characteristic of intestinal infections soon develop, which include:

• abdominal pain - usually they are spastic in nature, but can be stabbing, cutting, pulling, etc.;
• frequent loose stools, most often yellowish or green, possibly containing blood and mucus;
• severe nausea or vomiting, usually repeated;
• bloating, belching, flatulence;
• strong thirst;
• in severe cases - dehydration, lesions nervous system, fainting, coma.

The most characteristic symptom of an intestinal infection is loose stool, and the causative agent of the disease can be determined by its consistency. With dysentery, feces take the form of “rectal spit” (instead of feces, mucus with blood comes out); with salmonellosis, greenish-brown discharge with an unpleasant odor is observed; with cholera, it is copious and watery.

Diarrhea is a characteristic symptom of intestinal infection

The severity of symptoms depends on the age and general condition of the patient’s body, as well as on the form of the disease - mild, moderate or severe.

1. In the mild stage, the frequency of bowel movements does not exceed 5 times a day, the temperature remains normal or rises slightly, and the disease goes away on its own after a few days.
2. A moderate infection is characterized by a fairly high temperature, repeated vomiting, bloating, and the frequency of bowel movements can reach 15 times a day. There may be blood and mucus in the stool.
3. In severe forms, the frequency of bowel movements is 50 or more times per day, symptoms of dehydration develop (lack of urine and saliva, pale skin), thready pulse, and decreased blood pressure.

Feature: some types of intestinal infections have nonspecific symptoms - for example, with botulism, gastrointestinal manifestations may be absent, and instead of them, visual disturbances appear (double vision, “spots” and fog before the eyes).

When is home treatment possible?

Patients with signs of intestinal infections are sent to infectious diseases departments medical institutions, but sometimes therapy can be done at home. It is possible to do without hospitalization in mild forms of the disease in adults - this is evidenced by the absence of high fever, blood in the stool and vomit, and acute (so-called dagger-like) abdominal pain.

If a person has a high fever, signs of dehydration, a “tummy” (tightening of the abdominal muscles causing it to become rigid), and symptoms last more than a day, they should seek medical help. Hospitalization is also necessary in the case of children under 3 years of age (intestinal infections are especially dangerous for infants), people over 60 years of age, and pregnant women.

The diagnosis of “intestinal infection” is made on the basis of symptoms, complaints, blood tests (general, biochemical), as well as bacteriological examination of stool. Important role Anamnesis is collected - information about what a person ate and drank over the last 2-3 days, his places of stay, contacts, etc.

Caution: Intestinal infections have symptoms similar to those of some acute diseases Gastrointestinal tract (appendicitis, pancreatitis, etc.), so in any case it is recommended to show the patient to a doctor. Read about it in a special article.

Treatment of intestinal infections

Therapy for intestinal infections is carried out in several stages - first, you should cleanse the body of toxins as much as possible, then eliminate the symptoms of the disease and prevent dehydration, and at the last stage, restore normal functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.

General principles

The first thing to do if you suspect an intestinal infection or food poisoning- induce vomiting. To do this, you can drink 1-2 glasses of soda solution (a teaspoon per glass of water), potassium permanganate, that is, ordinary potassium permanganate, or plain warm water, and then press on the root of the tongue. The stomach should be rinsed until the liquid coming out is clear. Then an enema is needed, which will speed up the cleansing of the body and remove dangerous bacteria from the intestines.

After this, the patient should be isolated from others, provided with complete rest and bed rest. He should have separate dishes, bed linen and clothes should be washed in hot water, and after contact with a poisoned person, hands should be washed thoroughly. In the first hours or even days after poisoning, it is better to refuse to eat any food - you can eat only when the acute symptoms of the disease are behind you.

On the first day after poisoning, refuse to eat

During an intestinal infection, the body loses a lot of fluid, which should be replenished with plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration. The patient should be given teas, dried fruit or rosehip compote, mineral water without gas, and drink little by little, a teaspoon at a time, so as not to cause vomiting.

Advice: stopping vomiting with Cerucal or other similar drugs is not recommended, otherwise the body will not be able to cleanse itself of toxins and harmful substances.

Medications

There are several categories of medications that are used for intestinal infections - they remove toxins from the body, eliminate the unpleasant sensations of pathology, restore water balance in the body, promote the regeneration of the intestinal mucosa and restore its functions.

Sorbents

All types of intestinal infections are accompanied by the release and accumulation of large amounts of toxic substances, so you will need drugs that will remove harmful substances from the stomach and intestines. Sorbents are used for this - once they enter the intestines, they absorb toxins and remove them out, preventing them from being absorbed into the mucous membranes and entering the blood.

1. The most common and accessible drug used to eliminate waste products of pathogenic microorganisms. The standard dosage is 1 tablet per 10 kg of weight.
2. The drug is in the form of a powder for preparing a suspension, which not only removes toxins, but also envelops the stomach from the inside, protecting it from negative effects.
3. The product is in the form of a thick gel, which has a quick effect and effectively eliminates the symptoms of intestinal infections.
4. An absorbent with intense effects, which is prescribed for serious intoxications.

Attention: in case of severe intestinal poisoning, patients need to take antibiotics, but they can only be used after consultation with a doctor, otherwise the person’s condition may worsen.

Antidiarrheal drugs

A common symptom of intestinal infections is diarrhea, so to normalize stool, medications that eliminate this symptom are needed. They have a positive effect on the functioning of the digestive tract, reducing its tone and muscle contractions. The drugs should be taken after each act of defecation in a dosage of 2 to 4 mg, while the maximum daily dosage should not exceed 16 mg.

1. The drug has not only an antidiarrheal, but also an antiseptic effect, destroying pathogenic microorganisms.
2. Loperamide (Imodium). The drug reduces intestinal motility and normalizes the tone of the anal sphincter, so that diarrhea stops quite quickly.
3. An antimicrobial drug with a bacteriostatic effect, has a wide spectrum of action and is also highly effective against acute intestinal infections.
4. An anti-diarrheal agent available in the form of chewable tablets. The effect of the drug is associated with a decrease in tension and movement of the small and large intestines, and a decrease in the number of urges to empty.

Antispasmodics

The development of intestinal infection in adults is often accompanied by severe pain, which can be relieved with antispasmodic tablets. They eliminate smooth muscle spasms, which reduces discomfort and improves the patient’s condition. The most common drugs include No-shpa, Drotaverine, Papaverine, Benalgin.

Important: you can take antispasmodics only if you are completely sure that the patient has developed an intestinal infection - for other gastrointestinal diseases, these drugs can “blur” the picture of the disease and make it difficult to make a diagnosis.

Remedies against dehydration

To prevent dehydration, which entails a serious threat to the patient’s life, it is necessary to take medications to restore the body’s water-salt balance. These include Regidron, Humana Electrolyte, Hemodez, Citroglucosolan - they will not only help restore lost moisture, but will also replenish the concentration of potassium and sodium salts in the body, which are washed out of it along with water. The solutions should be taken several times 1-2 teaspoons every 10-15 minutes, alternating with water. In severe cases of intestinal infections, drugs to restore water balance (for example, Albumin) are administered intravenously in a medical facility.

Folk remedies

Treatment of intestinal infections with folk remedies is possible only in combination with conservative therapy - they improve the effect of medications, calm the stomach and speed up the healing process.

1. St. John's wort. The plant has an antiseptic and anti-inflammatory effect, therefore it is good at eliminating the symptoms of intestinal infections. Take 1.5 tablespoons of dry herb, steam 250 ml of boiling water, boil in a water bath for half an hour and filter. Next, squeeze out the remainder well and add boiled water to the original volume (250 ml), take 30 minutes before meals, 1/3 cup for 3-5 days. St. John's wort should be taken with caution, as in large quantities it causes intoxication of the body.
2. Air. Calamus root eliminates nausea and other unpleasant symptoms, has beneficial influence for the work of the gastrointestinal tract. Pour a heaping tablespoon of crushed calamus root into a liter of water, boil for 10 minutes, strain, drink ½ cup at least 5 times a day until symptoms disappear.
3. Mint and lemon balm have a calming effect and are good at combating stomach discomfort. Take 2 tablespoons of the herb (you can mix mint with lemon balm), pour a glass of boiling water, leave for 40-60 minutes, drink in several doses. For mild poisoning, 1-2 days of treatment is sufficient.
4. The plant has an antitoxic effect and promotes rapid cleansing of the body. Pour a tablespoon of powder into a glass of boiling water, leave in a thermos for 2-3 hours, drink in four doses before meals.
5. This spice has a powerful antimicrobial effect, so it quickly relieves the symptoms of intestinal infections. Grind a small piece of ginger, take 600 ml of boiling water for 2 tablespoons of raw material, leave for half an hour, cool until warm and drink 50 ml throughout the day until the symptoms disappear. It is better not to use ginger in cases of fever and stomach ulcers.

Important: folk remedies can also cause side effects and allergies, so it should be taken with caution, carefully monitoring the body's reaction.

Diet and body restoration

Diet plays an important role in the treatment of intestinal infections. In the first 12-24 hours, it is better to completely refuse any food and drink only water. When nausea, diarrhea and other manifestations of the disease pass, you can eat a little rice water, oatmeal without oil, sugar and milk, blueberry jelly, low-fat chicken broth with white crackers. After the condition improves, the following foods are allowed:

• semi-liquid porridge cooked in milk;
• steam cutlets and meatballs;
• boiled and steamed vegetables;
• baked fruits;
• compotes;
• stale bread;
• dairy products.

Dish of boiled vegetables

Prohibited foods for intestinal infections include:

• fatty, smoked, spicy and salty dishes;
• baked goods, sweets;
• semi-finished products, canned food, fast food;
• cabbage, beets, legumes;
• sour vegetables and fruits;
• pears and grapes;
• watermelons, melons;
• dried fruits, nuts;
• carbonated drinks, especially sweet ones;
• alcohol, caffeine.

After severe intestinal infections, recovery of the body can continue for 1-2 months, so during this period it is recommended to follow a diet, avoiding harmful foods. Recovery normal microflora intestines, it is recommended to take probiotics and prebiotics - Linex, Hilak Forte, Yogurt, Yogulax, Bifidumbacterin, etc. If a person has digestive disorders, you can take medications containing enzymes (Pancreatin, Festal, Creon), which improve digestion processes and have a beneficial effect on the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.

Attention: sometimes intestinal infections cause gastritis, ulcers and other gastrointestinal diseases, so for several months after recovery you should carefully monitor the condition of the body, and if characteristic symptoms occur, consult a doctor.

Prevention of intestinal infections

The main measure to prevent intestinal infections is strict adherence to personal hygiene. Hands should be washed as often as possible, without fail after coming from outside, visiting the toilet and before eating. Fruits and vegetables should be washed thoroughly warm water and scald with boiling water, and animal products are stored and processed accordingly. Chicken eggs should also be washed in water and soda, as their shells may contain dangerous salmonella bacteria. At the slightest sign that the food is spoiled (unpleasant odor, change in color, etc.), it is better to refuse to eat it.

During travel and tourist trips, you should drink only bottled water, avoid swimming in unfamiliar bodies of water (especially if we are talking about African countries) and do not get carried away with exotic dishes, especially those made from unprocessed foods.

Let's sum it up

Intestinal infection is an unpleasant phenomenon that does not entail unpleasant consequences subject to timely and correct treatment. It is quite difficult to protect yourself from this disease, since pathogenic microorganisms surround a person almost everywhere, but if preventive measures are taken, the risk of infection can be reduced to a minimum.

Intestinal infection is a dangerous disease that affects every person sooner or later. The disease presented includes a large number of pathological processes that negatively affect the gastrointestinal tract. The disease often occurs due to the presence of viruses, toxins and bacteria in the body. Signs of the disease vary significantly depending on its severity.

What contributes to the occurrence of the disease?

If the body is affected by viruses and bacteria, then this is fraught with the formation of diseases such as:

• Escherichiosis;
• klebsiellosis;
• dysentery;
• salmonellosis;
• diarrhea;
• staphylococcal infection.

All of the presented pathological processes cause intestinal infections. In addition, the development of this disease is influenced by failure to comply with personal hygiene rules, eating dirty fruits and vegetables, and replenishing the body with water that contains harmful microorganisms. They move from the esophagus through the stomach and into the intestines.

How does the disease manifest in adults?

There are cases when an intestinal infection in adults does not make itself felt for a certain time, so the patient does not even suspect about this insidious illness. The most common symptoms of an intestinal infection include the following:

Intestinal infections in children occur for the same reason as in adults (damage from pathogenic organisms). They primarily damage the digestive tract and are accompanied by a toxic reaction of the body.

Intestinal infection in children, like all other infectious diseases, occurs suddenly. Even in the first stages of the disease, children are visited by weakness, poor appetite, headache, and fever. At first glance, all the presented signs indicate an acute respiratory infection. But after some time, the child experiences nausea and vomiting, cramping abdominal pain, diarrhea, and chills.

Acute intestinal infection

Acute intestinal infections are a type of infectious acute pathologies that arise as a result of the influence of various pathogenic agents. Acute intestinal infection manifests itself as fever and contributes to the development of further dehydration. The acute infection is especially severe in children and people retirement age. The incubation period of the pathology lasts from 5 hours to two days.

Very often, salmonellosis begins acutely after a short feeling of discomfort in the abdomen. During this period, the patient notes the following symptoms of acute intestinal infection:

• weakness;
• feeling of nausea;
• vomit;
• increased temperature (38-39 C);
• acute intestinal infections are accompanied by painful sensations in the abdominal area, which are diffuse in nature;
• diarrhea, which is characterized by copious, watery, greenish bowel movements.

If a patient exhibits these symptoms of an acute intestinal infection, he must be hospitalized immediately. This form of intestinal infection is very often diagnosed in infants. Therefore, if you find green diarrhea or a rise in temperature in your baby, you should immediately show him to a specialist.

Intestinal flu (rotavirus infection)

Intestinal infections of this form occur due to the presence of rotaviruses in the body. The irritation process occurs through food, water and hands. Rotavirus infection begins to form after bacteria have invaded the cells of the mucous membrane of the small intestine. As a result, it increases physical activity, which contributes to feelings of nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.

The disease begins to manifest itself even before the viruses multiply in the required quantity to cause intestinal irritation. This is the incubation period, its duration is about 5 days.

Effective therapy

Treatment of intestinal infection should involve an integrated approach. In addition to stopping harmful microbes, the patient needs to neutralize toxins and restore water balance.

Symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhea release harmful substances from the body, so there is no need to restrain yourself. On the contrary, during this period they even call her. Treatment of intestinal infection cannot be done without intestinal lavage. This procedure is performed using an enema. It is also necessary to treat the disease with the help of sorbents that neutralize the negative effects of toxins. The most effective are:

• Smecta;
• Polyphepan;
• Attapulgite.

During the period of intestinal infection, patients benefit from fasting. The reason is that food can cause bacteria to develop. Rice and oatmeal porridge without adding salt are healthy. They have a calming effect on the intestines.

It is indicated to treat intestinal infections with a solution of rehydron or behydron. These medications help restore electrolyte balance during illness. They are taken in a couple of sips every 10 minutes. During an intestinal infection, the patient needs to drink more fluids. The best option There will be dried fruit compote and various herbal teas.

As for antibiotics for intestinal infections, it is not recommended to use them immediately after the onset of the first symptoms. They provide Negative influence on intestinal microflora and normal functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. Treatment of intestinal infection with antibiotics can only be prescribed by the attending physician. It is allowed to treat the disease with such modern drugs as Linex and Lactobacterin.

It is also not recommended to treat an intestinal infection on your own during a period when the patient has severe and debilitating vomiting, as a result of which he cannot drink, has a high fever, and there are blood impurities in the feces.

Treatment of the disease in children

If an intestinal infection in a child is accompanied by severe diarrhea and vomiting, then it is necessary to immediately take action and treat the resulting illness. The most common mistake parents make when treating an intestinal infection is to stop the unwanted symptoms of the disease. It is not recommended to do this in the first hours, since vomiting and diarrhea are a protective reaction of the body, as a result of which the body tries to eliminate toxins on its own.

If these manifestations are stopped during the treatment of intestinal infections in children, this will lead to even greater intoxication. In addition, if parents know exactly what their baby has eaten and the rise in temperature and abdominal pain are caused by this, then in order to effectively treat an intestinal infection, vomiting or bowel movements should be provoked.

During such events, it is very important to constantly replenish the loss of fluid and mineral salts. Therefore, when treating intestinal infections in children, parents should ensure that they take plenty of fluids. To do this, you need to give him special solutions, powders that are sold in pharmacies. It is forbidden to give your child juices and dairy products.

Nutrition

If the disease is mild, then to treat an intestinal infection, the diet involves only reducing the amount of food. If the disease is in a moderate form, then nutrition is reduced by 30-50%, and the number of meals should be 5-8 times a day.

The diet for intestinal infections in children under 4 months should exclude the use of fermented milk mixtures. In case of acute illness, treatment of intestinal infection with a diet in infants involves the use of mixtures enriched with protective factors: bifidobacteria, lactobacilli, and dietary supplements.

When treating an intestinal infection with diet, adults are prohibited from consuming the following foods:

• whole milk;
• black bread;
• yoghurts;
• fermented baked milk;
• cream;
• beets;
• legumes;
• citrus;
• meat and fish broths.

If the development of an intestinal infection in a young child is accompanied by the occurrence of protein deficiency, then it is corrected from the 3rd day of the disease with mixtures that contain this element. When the exocrine function of the pancreas is impaired and malabsorption syndrome develops, then effective treatment intestinal infections in young patients are medicinal mixtures.

Prevention measures

Prevention of intestinal infections is measures that help protect your body from this disease. To do this you need to follow these simple rules:

• wash your hands before eating;
• do not eat sweets with cream during hot weather;
• store meat and fish in the refrigerator;
• wash fruits, berries and vegetables thoroughly;
• consume only fresh meat and milk;
• drink boiled or mineral water.

Intestinal infection is a pathological process that can affect not only adults, but also children. This disease can be eliminated if you strictly adhere to the treatment regimen drawn up by your doctor.

1 - Instructions for medical use medicinal product Macmiror ®