Acute gastroenteritis

Acute gastroenteritis is a common disease, mainly characterized by upper abdominal pain, discomfort, decreased appetite, nausea, and vomiting, sometimes accompanied by diarrhea. Severe acute gastritis can also cause symptoms such as hematemesis and hematochezia. Acute gastroenteritis is caused by the ingestion of food containing pathogenic bacteria and their toxins, or improper diet, such as excessive intake of irritating and indigestible food, leading to acute inflammatory changes in the gastrointestinal mucosa. In China, the incidence is higher in summer and autumn, with no gender difference, and the general incubation period is 12 to 36 hours. In acute gastroenteritis, onset usually occurs within hours to 24 hours after overeating, consuming contaminated food, or taking drugs that irritate the stomach in family life. There is often a pattern of collective or familial occurrence. It can be triggered by eating contaminated poultry, livestock meat, or fish; or by eating seafood such as crabs and snails where halophilic bacteria grow; or by eating leftover dishes and rice contaminated with Staphylococcus aureus. Acute gastroenteritis is also an acute inflammation of the gastrointestinal mucosa, with clinical manifestations mainly including nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, fever, and other varying symptoms. Acute gastroenteritis is common in summer and autumn, and its occurrence is mostly due to improper diet, overeating, or ingestion of raw, cold, spoiled, or unclean food. According to traditional Chinese medicine, based on differences in etiology and constitution, gastroenteritis is classified into different types such as damp-heat, cold-dampness, and food stagnation.