Intestinal infections

During the summer season, one of the most common health problems is acute intestinal infectious diseases.

The increase in the incidence of intestinal infections is influenced by warm weather, which is favourable for the reproduction of pathogens. Neglect of personal hygiene rules, consumption of unwashed berries, fruits and vegetables, storage of food without refrigeration in field conditions, picnics.

Many people tolerate the infection easily. However, there are groups of people for whom intestinal infection can be very dangerous. These include young children, the elderly, individuals with immunodeficiency conditions, as well as those with chronic diseases of the digestive system. Young children can quickly develop dehydration, which, without medical assistance, can lead to a fatal outcome.

It should be remembered that a sick person does not always show signs of illness. An asymptomatic carrier is particularly dangerous as a source of infection.

Intestinal infections can be caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi, and protozoa.

Bacterial: salmonellosis, dysentery, yersiniosis, botulism, staphylococcal infection, etc.

Viral: norovirus, rotavirus, adenovirus, enterovirus, etc.

There are over 30 causative agents of acute intestinal infections.

The pathogen enters the body either through the mouth (with dirty hands, unwashed vegetables), or an airborne droplet transmission mechanism is possible if the infectious agent is a virus.

The clinical picture is usually similar. Depending on the localization of the infectious process, the signs of the disease may include vomiting, nausea, abdominal pain, and diarrhoea. Symptoms of intoxication are often present: fever, chills, sweating, weakness, and possible dehydration.

Depending on the cause (viral or bacterial), symptoms of intestinal infections may appear within a few hours or up to one to three days after infection.

What to do if someone in the family has contracted an acute intestinal infectious disease?

First and foremost, the patient must be isolated. This will reduce the risk of transmission of infection to healthy family members.

When caring for a patient, personal hygiene rules must be strictly observed: wash hands frequently with soap, especially after caring for the patient. Provide the sick person with personal dishes and a towel.

It is important to carry out

with disinfectant in the patient's room.

If acute intestinal infection is suspected, you should consult a doctor. Especially if you cannot lower your temperature, vomiting continues for more than 48 hours, if there is blood in the vomit, or blood in the stool. A child should be seen by a doctor in any case. Call a doctor to your home. For urgent medical assistance, please contact,

Do not self-medicate. This can harm not only yourself. For example, an incorrectly selected antibiotic can, firstly, mask the symptoms of the disease, but the pathogen will remain in the body and be released into the environment, infecting others. Secondly, the pathogen may develop resistance to the antibiotic. In addition, if the intestinal infection is caused by a virus, antibacterial drugs are absolutely useless.

Main preventive measures for acute intestinal infections.

If you have symptoms of an intestinal infection, take precautions to prevent the spread of the infection.

Wash your hands after visiting the toilet and before preparing food. Do not prepare food for other people. Avoid close contact with other people while you are ill.

Main preventive measures for intestinal infections:

- wash your hands after visiting the toilet, before preparing food, after touching animals and before eating;

- maintain cleanliness in the kitchen, remove garbage in a timely manner;

- avoid consuming unpasteurised milk;

- do not consume raw meat, raw fish and seafood;

- use separate cutting boards and utensils for raw and cooked meat when preparing food;

subject meat and poultry to thorough heat treatment;

- wash greens, fruits and vegetables thoroughly;

- store ready-made food in the refrigerator if you store it for more than two hours;

- drink bottled water when travelling;

- do not swim in water bodies where swimming is prohibited;

- when swimming in pools, rivers and other water bodies, do not swallow water;

- do not purchase products from street vendors, especially canned goods.

Adherence to personal hygiene rules is the basis for the prevention of intestinal infections!

Epidemiologist N. Pobortseva