How to Identify Bacterial Gastroenteritis

Bacterial gastroenteritis is referring to an inflammation of the digestive tract including the stomach and bowels. It is otherwise known as the infectious diarrhea. The name of the condition speaks for itself: it is caused by pathogenic bacteria. Many types of bacteria can cause gastroenteritis but the most common ones are E. coli, campylobacter jejuni, salmonella, staphylococcus, and shigella. Such causative agents are present in raw food such as chicken, meat, or eggs. They are also present in animals like rats and some types of insects. Dams, swamps, lakes or rivers may also be a potential habitat for these pathogens. Improper cooking or storage of food is one of the main causes of having bacterial gastroenteritis, along with drinking contaminated water, being in contact with a pet that has the infection and poor sanitation. To know more about bacterial gastroenteritis is to identify its symptoms.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Observe your bowel movement. Having a watery diarrhea is one of the main signs of bacterial gastroenteritis. Aside from having a liquid consistency, stools may be accompanied with blood or mucus.

2. 

   Pay attention to any pain in the abdominal area. Cramping pain in the abdomen is another symptom that may cease after passage of gas or defecation.

3. Notice if you ever feel nauseated and have the urgency to vomit. A distressed stomach with distaste of food and the tendency to throw up is but a typical sign of bacterial gastroenteritis.

4. 

   Check your temperature. Fever is the body’s natural reaction from an existing infection along the digestive tract. High grade fever is quite common and is usually accompanied with chills.

5. Try to observe if your desire to eat has decreased. Loss of appetite is often times secondary to having a bitter taste due to high fever.

6. 

   Watch for signs of dehydration. Excessive vomiting and diarrhea may lead to extreme loss of fluid in the body. Signs of dehydration include: dry mouth and skin, excessive thirst but infrequent urination or absence of urination for over six hours, hands and feet are sweaty and cold to touch, lethargic associated with weakness and hollow or sunken eyes.

Tips & Warnings

• Replacement of loss fluid must be taken cared off right away. Drink plenty of liquid to avoid dehydration. If your mouth tastes too bitter to drink water, try to drink liquids with flavor such as juices or lemonade.
• Watch what you eat or drink and observe proper hygiene to keep your system away from bacteria.
• Contact the doctor immediately if the following are observed: vomiting and diarrhea that persists for more than 2 to 3 days, fever higher than 101 degrees Farhenheit, signs of extreme dehydration, stool contains blood or mucus and lightheadedness or fainting.

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