What is the danger of "intestinal flu"?
Summer is the traditional time of seasonal rise of acute intestinal infections. Now this is especially true for parents who are in a hurry to take their young children to sea resorts. There, in addition to acclimatization and colds, they can expect another unpleasant surprise-an intestinal virus, or, as it is also called, "intestinal flu".
Enterovirus infections are resistant in the external environment and can persist for a long time in wastewater, swimming pools, open water bodies, household items, food (milk, fruits, vegetables) and even in the refrigerator. However, the virus quickly dies when heated and boiled. EVI is characterized by a rapid spread of the disease. The incubation period (the time from the moment of infection to the moment of the first signs of the disease) is on average from 2 to 10 days. The source of infection is patients and virus carriers, including patients with an asymptomatic form. Mild forms of the disease occur as an acute respiratory disease with a three-day fever up to 38 degrees with herpetic rashes in the oropharynx.
In severe forms, there is a lesion of the nervous system in the form of meningitis, meningoenciphalitis, polio of a similar form. It is these forms of the disease that can lead to disability. The main manifestations are the acute onset of the disease, with a rise in body temperature to 39-40 degrees. There is a strong headache, dizziness, vomiting, sometimes abdominal pain, muscle pain, convulsive syndrome. If such complaints occur, it is necessary to urgently isolate the patient, since he is the source of infection, and consult a doctor to avoid complications.
Measures of personal prevention of intestinal infections are quite simple:
compliance with the rules of personal hygiene and drinking regime (use only boiled and bottled water);
thorough processing of fruits and vegetables, followed by rinsing with boiled water;
frequent and thorough hand washing with soap and water. The "dirty hands" factor is the main factor in the transmission of pathogens, especially in childhood;
swim only in permitted water bodies, while making sure that the child does not swallow the water;
in no case should a child with any manifestations of an infectious disease visit schools, kindergartens and other preschool institutions.
At the first sign, you should immediately seek medical help and do not self-medicate!
Chief Specialist in Infectious Diseases in children
health departments of the Lipetsk region
Belyaeva Tatyana Ivanovna
