Intestinal Flu or Stomach Flu

Gastroenteritis, its medical name, means inflammation of the stomach and small and large intestines (the intestinal tract). How can you tell the difference?

Stomach flu is not actually a flu virus. Gastroenteritis is an infection caused by a number of different viruses and it results in vomiting or diarrhea.

There are other stomach flu symptoms, of course, but the most common symptoms are watery diarrhea and vomiting.

• Virus - rotaviruses, noroviruses, adenoviruses, type 40 or 41, sapoviruses, calicivirus, or astroviruses. Viruses are responsible for 30-40% of gastroenteritis in children.

• Bacteria – Bacteria may infect the walls of the stomach and intestines. Staph or Staphyloccus aureus is a common cause of food poisoning. Other bacteria include E. coli, Camphylobacter, Shigella and Salmonella.

• Parasites - in spoiled food or unclean water. Travellers can get traveler's diarrhea by drinking contaminated water, and children can get them by swimming in swimming pools that are contaminated.

• Food Reactions - Lactose intolerance, a reaction of your body to dairy products is an example of this. Also, some people have a severe reaction to seafood.

• Following antibiotics - Sometimes, following the use of antibiotics, overgrowth of a bacteria called Clostridium difficile (C difficile) can occur. The bacteria grow in the large intestine, and if this occurs, it happens after a person has been on an antibiotic for an infection.

Swine Flu or Intestinal Flu?

That is because, the swine flu, unlike other flu viruses, sometimes causes diarrhea and/or vomiting, andstomach flu symptoms can appear to be similar to H1N1 swine flu—at least at first.

The stomach cramps and stomach pain that many people feel, may be confused with the stomach cramps for an intestinal infection.

A flu virus, whether it is seasonal flu or another virus, is different from stomach flu or gastroenteritis in a couple of ways.

The flu mimics a cold in many ways, but flu symptoms start suddenly and they are more severe than the symptoms of a cold. With the flu, you can see extreme fatigue, high fever and coughing.

Also, the stomach flu duration is usually not as long as the duration for the swine flu or other flu viruses.

It can be confusing, and it is important that you discover what is making you ill, as the remedy for stomach flu is different from that for swine flu.

Especially if you are in an area where many people are ill, make sure you distinguish whether you have intestinal flu or swine flu.

Intestinal Flu to Stomach Virus

Intestinal Flu to Pandemic Flu

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