Is acute gastroenteritis a stomach disease?

Written by Zhu Dan Hua
Gastroenterology
Updated on May 18, 2025
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Acute gastroenteritis is generally considered an infectious disease, not merely a stomach ailment. Clinically, acute gastroenteritis is commonly thought to be caused by viruses or bacteria, especially due to insufficient hygiene. The typical clinical manifestations include abdominal pain, bloating, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, etc. Of course, some patients may also experience fever. Diarrhea and vomiting are the most common symptoms observed clinically, with vomiting generally involving stomach contents without blood. Diarrhea is characterized by an increased frequency of bowel movements, with stools being loose and watery, particularly frequent at night, making the symptoms of diarrhea especially prominent in patients seeking medical attention. Treatment for patients generally focuses on symptomatic relief, although in cases of recurrent fever, the cautious use of antibiotics may be considered. (Please use medications under the guidance of a professional physician.)

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Written by Ren Zheng Xin
Gastroenterology
42sec home-news-image

Acute gastroenteritis causes and symptoms

Acute gastroenteritis is common in summer and autumn, often caused by consuming unclean food. Consuming chilled watermelon or cola straight from the refrigerator can also trigger acute gastroenteritis. The primary symptoms include abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting. Frequent diarrhea can lead to signs of dehydration in the body, such as sunken eyeballs and pale lips. For acute gastroenteritis, immediate fluid replacement therapy should be administered, and antibiotics should be used to control the infection along with medications to stop diarrhea and firm up the stools. (Please take medication under the guidance of a doctor)

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Written by Yang Chun Guang
Gastroenterology
38sec home-news-image

Is gastroenteritis contagious?

There are many causes of gastroenteritis, and whether it can be contagious depends mainly on the pathogen involved. For example, if gastroenteritis is caused by an infection with bacterial dysentery leading to gastrointestinal symptoms, this situation can be spread via the digestive tract and is contagious. However, if the gastroenteritis symptoms arise from exposure to air conditioning and getting a chill, this situation is not contagious. Therefore, patients with gastroenteritis must undergo routine blood and stool tests to identify the cause of the infection.

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Written by Zhu Dan Hua
Gastroenterology
1min 11sec home-news-image

How many days does acute gastroenteritis last?

The course of acute gastroenteritis generally lasts about 7 to 10 days. Patients typically have an acute onset, presenting with abdominal discomfort, nausea, vomiting, and abnormal stools. The abdominal discomfort is usually centered around the navel or the lower abdomen, predominantly characterized by intermittent cramping pain. Vomiting usually occurs more severely after eating and generally involves expelling stomach contents, without accompanying hematemesis or bile, and recurs frequently. Abnormal stools commonly involve more frequent bowel movements, colloquially known as diarrhea. Along with an increase in stool frequency, the stool tends to be looser in texture, and some patients may have watery stools, thus typically it presents as an acute episode. General treatment involves diet adjustment and, when necessary, the addition of some oral medications. Generally, conditions gradually improve over about 7 to 10 days. (Please take medication under the guidance of a professional physician.)

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Written by Zhu Dan Hua
Gastroenterology
1min 6sec home-news-image

Is acute gastroenteritis a stomach disease?

Acute gastroenteritis is generally considered an infectious disease, not merely a stomach ailment. Clinically, acute gastroenteritis is commonly thought to be caused by viruses or bacteria, especially due to insufficient hygiene. The typical clinical manifestations include abdominal pain, bloating, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, etc. Of course, some patients may also experience fever. Diarrhea and vomiting are the most common symptoms observed clinically, with vomiting generally involving stomach contents without blood. Diarrhea is characterized by an increased frequency of bowel movements, with stools being loose and watery, particularly frequent at night, making the symptoms of diarrhea especially prominent in patients seeking medical attention. Treatment for patients generally focuses on symptomatic relief, although in cases of recurrent fever, the cautious use of antibiotics may be considered. (Please use medications under the guidance of a professional physician.)

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Written by Jiang Guo Ming
Gastroenterology
50sec home-news-image

Can I eat apples with acute gastroenteritis?

Apples are one of the essential fruits in our daily life, containing a rich array of nutrients, such as minerals, fruit acids, vitamins, fiber, etc., which are greatly beneficial to our human body. Acute gastroenteritis is usually caused by exposure to cold or improper diet, primarily characterized by symptoms such as abdominal pain, diarrhea, vomiting, and sometimes fever and chills. In this case, targeted treatment should be firstly applied, and the diet should consist mainly of light and easily digestible food, such as porridge and soft noodles, while avoiding raw, greasy, spicy foods, and alcoholic beverages. Apples are relatively cold in nature; it is best to avoid eating them raw under these circumstances. If there is a real desire to eat apples, steaming them before eating should be feasible.