Stomach Flu Introduction (Gastroenteritis)

Conditions & Diseases: Digestive System

Stomach Flu (Gastroenteritis)

Introduction & Overview

Gastroenteritis is a very common inflammation of the digestive tract caused by a bacterial or viral or parasitic infection leading to nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain. The diarrhea could become life threatening at times. About 3 to 6 million children die annually of infectious gastroenteritis all over the world. Viral gastroenteritis is the second most highly contagious infection in the US and is generally termed as “Stomach Flu” (1), (2), (3) & (4).

World wide, more than 1 billion cases of stomach flu are said to be present. About 30 to 40 percent cases of gastroenteritis in industrialized nations are attributed to viral infections (5).

Article by Kona Vishnu, MS
Medical Writer,
OmniMedicalSearch.com