Intestinal Infection In An Adult - Causes, Symptoms And Treatment

2024 Author: Josephine Shorter | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-07 17:49

Intestinal infection: first symptoms and treatment

If the intestine or stomach is affected by one of three dozen infectious diseases, the patient is diagnosed with an intestinal infection. All of them are caused by pathogenic bacteria, viruses, protozoa.

Content:

• What is an intestinal infection?
• Diseases related to intestinal infections
• Classification
• Intestinal infection symptoms
• Intestinal Infection Causes
• Complications and consequences
• What tests are taken for intestinal infection?
• Intestinal infection treatment
• Essential medicines for intestinal infection
• Are antibiotics needed and when?

What is an intestinal infection?

Intestinal infection is damage to the digestive tract by microorganisms that cause intoxication, diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain, weakness and hyperthermia. One of the most characteristic manifestations of intestinal pathology is inflammation of the mucous membrane of the stomach and intestines.

There is no age category that is insured against the occurrence of intestinal infection, but due to the characteristics of immunity, children, the elderly, and those who have recently suffered a serious illness most often suffer from it. In developed countries, intestinal infection ranks second after ARVI in the number of visits to a doctor.

Infection occurs due to the ingestion of infectious agents into the body of a healthy person through the fecal-oral or alimentary route: through water, household items, food. These microbes are excreted in feces, vomit, saliva, urine by sick people or those who have recently had an intestinal infection.

Diseases related to intestinal infections

About three dozen infectious diseases cause infection of the digestive system by pathogenic microorganisms.

Infections caused by bacteria:

• Dysentery;
• Cholera;
• Salmonellosis;
• Shigellosis;
• Botulism;
• Typhoid fever;
• Yersiniosis;
• Campylobacteriosis;
• Staphylococcal food poisoning;
• Escherichiosis (Escherichia coli);
• Proteus infection;
• Clostridial infection;
• Klebsiella infection;
• Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection;
• Paratyphoid a and b.

Intestinal infection caused by viruses:

• Rotavirus;
• Adenovirus;
• Coronavirus;
• Reovirus;
• Norfolk group virus;
• Enterovirus.

Intestinal infection caused by protozoal organisms:

• Giardiasis;
• Schistosomiasis;
• Amoebiasis;
• Cryptosporidiosis.

Classification

There are two reasons for dividing intestinal infections by type: clinical pathogenetic, used in practice, and etiological classification used in scientific research.

Basis for classification:

• For pathogenetic - features of the course of the disease;
• For etiological - the type of pathogenic flora that provoked the infection.

Etiological classification - types of intestinal infections:

• Bacterial - transmitted by the fecal-oral and alimentary-household way (violation of hygiene, low-quality products), are caused by pathogenic and opportunistic microorganisms. Pathogenic microbes come from outside, conditionally pathogenic microbes are normally present in the human body in small quantities, restrained by beneficial microflora.
• Viral - more often represented by rotavirus and enterovirus intestinal infection, the transmission route does not differ from the transmission route of a bacterial infection plus airborne infection. The patient, even after 0.5-1 month, remains a source of infection for others.
• Protozoan - rarely diagnosed, affects humans when water from reservoirs enters the body, have a long period of flow.

Pathogenetic classification:

• The infection is caused by an unknown pathogen - up to 70% of cases;
• The causative agent of the infection is established - up to 20% of cases;
• Bacterial dysentery - up to 10% of cases.

Intestinal infection symptoms

Since the causative agents of the pathology are insensitive to the effects of gastric juice, they penetrate the intestines and penetrate into epithelial cells (Shigella, Salmonella) or displace representatives of the beneficial microflora (E. coli, Vibrio cholerae). Some pathogens (Staphylococcus aureus) release their toxins outside the human body, while still on food, from where they enter the intestines.

All these microorganisms cause inflammation of enterocytes - cells of the intestinal mucosa, indigestion. The main symptom of the disease is diarrhea, or diarrhea that occurs repeatedly. The rest of the manifestations differ in the clinical picture of different diseases.

Other symptoms:

• Nausea and vomiting;
• Hyperthermia for hours or days;
• Thirst;
• Abdominal pain;
• Appetite disorders;
• Rumbling in the stomach, bloating;
• Weight loss;
• Weakness;
• Admixture of blood in feces;
• Stools watery.

In all cases, intestinal syndrome and general intoxication syndrome are manifested, proceeding with varying degrees of intensity.

Types and symptoms of intestinal syndrome:

• Gastric syndrome - stomach pain, nausea and vomiting after eating and drinking, single, rarely 2-4 diarrhea, caused by viruses or Staphylococcus aureus;
• Gastroenteric syndrome - pain in the projection of the stomach and around the navel, vomiting, frequent mushy, then watery stools with mucus and food debris, has a brown or greenish color, a sharp unpleasant odor;
• Gastroenterocolitis syndrome - vomiting, frequent loose stools with painful bowel movements, contains mucus and blood, characteristic of salmonellosis;
• Enterocolic syndrome - severe pain, frequent urge with alternating mucus or liquid feces, characteristic of salmonellosis or dysentery;
• Colitis syndrome - pain in the lower abdomen, frequent bowel movements with the release of liquid feces with blood and mucus, false desires (tenesmus), short relief after a bowel movement, characteristic of dysentery.

Infectious-toxic syndrome manifests itself with a different set of symptoms, it is felt even before the onset of signs of intestinal damage.

Most often, the patient experiences the following symptoms:

• Weakness;
• Headache;
• High body temperature;
• Lack of appetite;
• Body aches;
• Dizziness.

All of these signs are caused by an increase in the amount of toxins resulting from the growth of the pathogen colony.

Intestinal infection temperature

The range of temperature values for this pathology depends on the type of pathogen. It can rise for several hours, or last for several days. Sharp temperature fluctuations occur when complications are attached. Often this symptom is a reason for hospitalization.

Hyperthermia is the first sign of infection in the digestive tract. It appears earlier than other symptoms (abdominal pain, diarrhea). Diarrhea in some cases occurs against the background of normalization of temperature, after it has dropped to normal values. It is recommended to prevent dehydration to prevent an increase in temperature, reducing it with antipyretic drugs.

Vomiting

This symptom does not always appear often, vomiting can be single, multiple, and absent altogether. It is forbidden to stop it with antiemetics, as this disrupts the elimination of toxins from the body.

Drinking plenty of fluids to replenish lost fluid and trace elements will help improve the condition. With indomitable vomiting, hospitalization is required, frequent drinking in small sips, infusion of saline solutions.

Intestinal Infection Causes

The source of infection is a sick person or a carrier of infection, releasing pathogens into the external environment with feces, urine, vomit. It is capable of isolating pathogens during the entire disease and 2-4 weeks after its end.

Infection routes:

• Oral-fecal;
• Domestic;
• Airborne.

Pathogens enter the digestive system through the oral cavity, that is, through the alimentary route.

Reasons for infection:

• Failure to comply with the rules of hygiene during food and during its preparation;
• Violation of the rules of the neighborhood when storing products and their heat treatment;
• Contact with household items contaminated by the patient;
• Drinking unboiled water or accidentally swallowing it while swimming;
• Long-term storage of non-intended products.

The relationship between the type of causative agent of intestinal infection and the food consumed, seeded with microbes:

• Staphylococcus aureus - mayonnaise, pudding, custard;
• Vibrio cholerae, Escherichia coli - unboiled water from contaminated water bodies, drinking this water and washing products with it;
• Clostridia - nosocomial infection;
• Salmonella - eggs and poultry;
• Yersinia - meat and milk;
• Parahemolytic vibrio - raw and boiled seafood.

Viral infections are transmitted by household and airborne droplets, with saliva, through the skin, into the mouth and intestines. This happens when kissing, spitting, biting. The most susceptible to infection are children, the elderly, people suffering from alcoholism, patients with gastrointestinal pathologies.

Video about the causes and symptoms of common intestinal infections:

Complications and consequences

Each pathology of infection of the digestive tract proceeds in an acute form, the transition to a chronic pathology does not occur. A person is either cured completely, or dies from complications of the infectious process.

In the first 1-3 months after recovery, the patient has digestive disorders. These residual effects are caused by damage to a large number of cells in the mucous membrane of the digestive tract. Colic, episodic loose stools, flatulence may appear until the intestinal structure is restored. During this time, scrupulous adherence to the rules of hygiene is required. Intestinal infection is dangerous for its complications:

• Dehydration of the body. Due to frequent loose stools and vomiting, the body loses a lot of fluid and mineral salts, which negatively affects metabolic processes. With a loss of more than 10% of the fluid, a coma occurs, with a possible fatal outcome.
• Infectious and toxic shock. It occurs at the onset of the disease due to the ingress of a large amount of toxins, waste products of bacteria into the circulatory system. It is accompanied by high fever.
• Pneumonia More often occurs in children, develops against the background of partial fluid replenishment.
• Acute renal failure.

Any intestinal infection affects the mucous membrane of the digestive tract. This condition provokes indigestion, vomiting and diarrhea.

The infection proceeds in the form of an acute form of the following diseases:

• Gastritis - affects the stomach lining;
• Enteritis - affects the mucous membrane of the small intestine;
• Colitis - affects the lining of the large intestine;
• Gastroduodenitis - affects the mucous membrane of the stomach and 12-persistent intestine;
• Enterocolitis - affects the mucous membrane of all parts of the intestine.

Treatment of all types of intestinal infections is carried out according to a single standard, the localization of inflammation is important for symptomatic therapy.

What tests are taken for intestinal infection?

To determine the treatment strategy, you need to know what causes the infection of the digestive system, clarify its type and pathogen. In addition, information about the causative agent of infection can be useful for assessing the epidemic situation, and implementing urgent measures against the spread of infection.

For this, laboratory tests are carried out:

• Rapid test for rotavirus infection. This is done by immersing the test strips in the stool and evaluating the results after 10 minutes.
• Bacteriological culture. Feces and vomit are applied to a nutrient medium, where after a few days colonies of microorganisms grow. They are identified by identifying infectious agents.
• Serological studies: RA (agglutination reaction), RPHA and RNGA (direct and indirect hemagglutination reaction), ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay). They are carried out on the basis of a blood test and the detection of antibodies to a specific pathogen in it.
• PCR, or polymerase chain reaction method. Identifies pathogens based on material taken from feces, vomit, from the stomach within one day.

The addition of signs of severe damage to the large intestine is a reason for conducting an instrumental study of the digestive system: colonoscopy, irrigoscopy, sigmoidoscopy. After recovery, rehabilitation measures begin.

Intestinal infection treatment

The main areas of therapy for an infectious disease are diet and prevention of dehydration. To do this, it is absolutely necessary to take medications, because the human body can independently cope with pathogenic microflora, just as it does when infected with ARVI. It is important to withstand the time until the immune system develops a sufficient amount of antibodies that can destroy infectious agents.

In order to support the body at this time, provide it with resources for recovery, drink enough and make up an optimal diet. Drinking plenty of fluids is designed to compensate for the loss of fluid that has occurred due to diarrhea and vomiting. An optimal diet promotes early recovery of the intestinal mucosa. If these conditions are met, the human immune system takes 3-8 days to completely stop the infection.

Rehydration is the restoration of mineral salts and fluids lost by the body, with a deficiency of which metabolism is impossible.

For successful rehydration, the following remedies are used:

• Regidron;
• Tour;
• Reosolan;
• Hydrovit;
• Humana Electrolyte;
• Glucosolan;
• Citragluxolan;
• Marathonite;
• Orasan;
• Rehydrar.

These preparations are available in powder form for dilution with clean boiled or filtered water. If it is not possible to purchase a rehydration solution, prepare it yourself.

Saline composition - WHO recommendations:

• One liter of water;
• A teaspoon of salt;
• A tablespoon of sugar;
• A teaspoon of baking soda.

An alternative to taking rehydration solutions is to drink plenty of tea, fruit drink, compote, mineral water without gas, that is, drinking a lot of liquid during the day. Each episode of defecation with loose stools or vomiting is compensated by drinking 300-500 ml of dehydration solution. Drink them slowly, 4-6 tablespoons every 5-15 minutes. For better absorption of fluid into the blood, you need to drink a warm solution heated to the temperature of the human body.

It is important to start timely measures to compensate for dehydration, call an ambulance for the following symptoms:

• Lack of urination for 5-6 hours or more;
• Dry skin, mucous membranes, tongue;
• Falling eyeballs;
• Lowering blood pressure;
• Gray skin tone.

In the hospital, dehydration is compensated by intravenous infusion of salt solutions. The appearance of dehydration in children and elderly patients is especially dangerous, since the deterioration of vital parameters in them is growing rapidly, and can lead to death.

Other dangerous symptoms of a bowel infection that warrant hospitalization include:

• Blood in feces
• Abdominal pain;
• Increased vomiting against the background of the termination of diarrhea
• Temperature jumps;
• Weakness;
• Indomitable vomiting, which makes it impossible to prevent dehydration;
• Age less than a year and over 65.

An important therapeutic tool is diet 4.

Its basic rules:

• The diet is based on slimy cereal soups, weak broth, boiled lean meat and fish, porridge on the water, scrambled eggs, crackers, lean cookies;
• It is forbidden to eat smoked meats, canned food, use spices and hot seasonings, onions, garlic, radishes in dishes, drink milk, alcohol, carbonated drinks, use fatty foods and fried foods in the menu;
• This diet should be followed within 3-4 weeks after the main symptoms of intestinal upset have subsided.

Complete restoration of the functions of the digestive system occurs within 2.5-3 months.

Essential medicines for intestinal infection

Pharmaceutical groups of drugs used in the treatment of infections of the digestive tract:

• Antipyretics necessarily include Nimesulide, Ibuprofen, Paracetamol. They are used if necessary, at temperatures above 37.5 °, since its rise prevents the restoration of lost salts and liquid. In addition, at high temperatures, a lot of liquid evaporates from the surface of the human body, and this carries an additional burden during dehydration.
• Rehydration solutions are taken during the entire period of vomiting and loose stools to compensate for the loss of salts and fluids.
• Enterosorbents: activated carbon, Polypefan, Enterosgel, Lactofiltrum, Smecta, Polysorb. The drugs do not have a therapeutic effect, but reduce the intensity of negative symptoms, are taken during the entire period of manifestation of loose stools and vomiting.
• Intestinal antiseptics: Furazolidone, Interix, Enterofuril, Intestopan. Destroy pathogenic microorganisms.
• Probiotics: Linex, Bactisubtil, Enterol. They help restore the balance of intestinal microflora.
• Enzymes: Creon, Pazinorm, Micrasim, Mezim. Promote digestion and assimilation of food.
• Antibacterial agents are prescribed strictly according to indications, since they can destroy their own colonies of beneficial lacto- and bifidobacteria (for information: what antibiotics are prescribed for intestinal infections?).

Painkillers for intestinal infections cannot be taken, since their action masks the appearance of pain and spasms, indicating the development of serious complications.

The use of antiemetics (Cerucal, Metoclopramide) and stool-strengthening drugs (Imodium, Loperamide) is prohibited, since vomiting and diarrhea are a protective reaction of the body that helps get rid of toxins. If they accumulate in the body, the patient's situation will worsen significantly, and a quick recovery will not occur.

Are antibiotics needed and when?

Antibacterial agents are used to treat intestinal infections in the following conditions:

• Cholera;
• Prolonged diarrhea accompanying giardiasis;
• Admixture of blood in the stool.

In other cases, antibiotic treatment of an infectious lesion of the digestive system is not required.

Groups of antibacterial drugs used when indicated for use:

• Tetracyclines: Doxycycline, Tetracycline;
• Penicillins: Ampicillin, Amoxicillin;
• Cephalosporins: Ceftriaxone, Cephalesin;
• Fluoroquinolones: Ofloxacin, Ciprofloxacin, Lomefloxacin.

Any manifestation of an intestinal infection requires careful diagnosis and consultation with an infectious disease doctor.

Author of the article: Danilova Tatyana Vyacheslavovna | Infectionist

Education: in 2008 received a diploma in General Medicine (General Medicine) at the Pirogov Russian Research Medical University. Immediately passed an internship and received a diploma of a therapist