What are the symptoms and manifestations of acute gastroenteritis?
Acute gastroenteritis is a rapid-onset inflammation of the stomach and small intestine, usually infectious, that resolves within a week in otherwise healthy people. It spans from mild, self-limited discomfort to dramatic fluid loss capable of producing hypovolemic shock within hours. Recognizing the varied faces of the illness guides fluid replacement, diet choices, and the decision to seek medical care. Core gastrointestinal features• Nausea: an uneasy urge to vomit, often accompanied by increased salivation or retching.• Vomiting: first gastric contents, then bile-tinged fluid; repeated every 30–60 min in severe cases, especially with viral or pre-formed toxin causes.• Diarrhea: watery, occasionally rice-water... Learn more