Gastroenteritis

How gastroenteritis is spread

Source: NHS

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The bugs that cause gastroenteritis can spread very easily from person to person.

You can catchthe infectionif small particles of vomit or poo from an infected person get into your mouth, such as through:

  • close contact with someone withgastroenteritis they may breathe out small particles of vomit
  • touching contaminated surfaces or objects
  • eating contaminated food this can happen if an infected person doesn't wash their hands before handling food, or you eat food that has been in contact with contaminated surfaces or objects, or hasn't been stored and cooked at the correct temperatures (read more about the causes of food poisoning )

A person withgastroenteritis is most infectious from when their symptoms start until48 hours after all their symptoms have passed, although they may also be infectious for a short time before and after this.

Articles for Gastroenteritis

Getting medical advice for your child

You don'tusually need to see your GP if you think your child has gastroenteritis, as it should get better on its own, and taking them to a GP surgery can put others at risk. Call NHS 111 or your GP i

How gastroenteritis is spread

The bugs that cause gastroenteritis can spread very easily from person to person. You can catchthe infectionif small particles of vomit or poo from an infected person get into your mouth, such as thr

Introduction

What to do if you or your child has diarrhoea and vomiting (gastroenteritis), including how to look after yourself and when to get medical advice.

Looking after a child with gastroenteritis

You can look after your child at home if they have diarrhoea and vomiting. There's not usually any specific treatment and your child should start feeling better in a few days. You don't normally need

Preventing gastroenteritis

It's not always possible to avoid gettinggastroenteritis, but following the advice below can help stop it spreading: Stay off work, school or nursery until at least 48 hours after the symptoms have

Symptoms of gastroenteritis

The main symptoms of gastroenteritis are: sudden, watery diarrhoea feeling sick vomiting, which can be projectile a mild fever Some people also have other symptoms, such as a loss of appetite,

What to do if you have gastroenteritis

If you experience sudden diarrhoea and vomiting, the best thing to do is stay at home until you're feeling better.There's not always a specific treatment, so you have to let the illness run its course

When to get medical advice

You don't normally need to see your GP if you think you have gastroenteritis, as it should get better on its own. Visiting your GP surgery can put others at risk, so it's best to callNHS 111 or your