Gastroenteritis (cont.)
Charles Patrick Davis, MD, PhD
Dr. Charles "Pat" Davis, MD, PhD, is a board certified Emergency Medicine doctor who currently practices as a consultant and staff member for hospitals. He has a PhD in Microbiology (UT at Austin), and the MD (Univ. Texas Medical Branch, Galveston). He is a Clinical Professor (retired) in the Division of Emergency Medicine, UT Health Science Center at San Antonio, and has been the Chief of Emergency Medicine at UT Medical Branch and at UTHSCSA with over 250 publications.
In this Article
- Gastroenteritis (stomach flu) facts
- What is gastroenteritis (stomach flu)?
- What causes gastroenteritis?
- Clostridum difficile as a cause of gastroenteritis
- What are gastroenteritis symptoms?
- Is gastroenteritis contagious?
- Is gastroenteritis a serious illness?
- How does food get contaminated with gastroenteritis viruses?
- Who is at risk of gastroenteritis?
- When should the doctor be called for gastroenteritis?
- How is gastroenteritis diagnosed?
- What is the treatment for gastroenteritis?
- What are gastroenteritis complications?
- Can gastroenteritis be prevented?
- What is the prognosis of gastroenteritis?
- Find a local Gastroenterologist in your town
What is the prognosis of gastroenteritis?
In most people, the prognosis (outlook) for complete recovery is excellent, as long as the person stays well hydrated. Because infants, children, elderly, and immunodepressed, usually dehydrate faster than healthy adults and sometimes are more difficult to rehydrate orally, their prognosis can range from excellent to poor, depending on how dehydrated they become and how effective are the attempts to rehydrate them.
The prognosis for those patients that develop gastroenteritis symptoms as part of a specific disease process (for example, shigellosis) vary from good to poor, depending on the severity of the specific disease process. Patients aged 65 and older that develop gastroenteritis due to Clostridium difficile infection are likely to have a guarded to poor prognosis if not treated quickly and effectively.
Additional resources from WebMD Boots UK on Stomach Flu
References:
CDC.gov. Deaths from gastroenteritis double.
CDC.gov. Viral Gastroenteritis
CDC.gov. Norovirus
Canavan A, Arant B, Diagnosis and management of dehydration in children". Am
Fam Physician 80 (7): 692–696, 2009eMedicine.com. Gastrointestinal Disease and Pregnancy.
MedscapeReference.com. Pediatrics, Gastroenteritis.
eMedicineHealth.com. Gastroenteritis.
Grimwood K, Forbes D, Acute and persistent diarrhea". Pediatr. Clin. North
Am. 56 (6): 1343–1361, 2009
Patient Comments
Viewers share their comments
- •
- Submit »
http://www.medicinenet.com/gastroenteritis/article.htm
GI Disorders
Get the latest treatment options.
Updated & New
