How to distinguish poisoning from rotavirus? Symptoms of diseases

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As soon as spring or autumn comes, many children and adults begin to get sick with colds. They can be called either bacteria or viruses. But it often happens that simple poisoning in terms of symptoms resembles a viral infection, so it is very important to be able to differentiate diseases. At this time of year, rotavirus is often the cause of malaise. In adults and children, signs may resemble intestinal poisoning, but there are manifestations in which pathologies differ from each other, respectively, and the therapy will be completely different. Let's see what the difference is between poisoning and rotavirus.

What is rotavirus

Rotavirus is a microorganism in which the hereditary information store is RNA.Penetrating into the human body, causes an infectious lesion of the gastrointestinal tract. If you look at the virus under a microscope, then the shape of its body resembles a wheel. how to distinguish poisoning from rotavirus

Typically, the maximum activity of the virus begins to manifest in the autumn-winter period. The disease that provokes them is called rotavirus infection, or rotavirus gastroenteritis.

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The parasite rapidly multiplies in the body and causes disruption of the digestive tract. A great danger, especially for children, is dehydration.

Infection occurs from a sick person or carrier infection. The ingestion takes place through the mouth together with food, water. It should be noted that rotavirus is sufficiently resistant to environmental factors, so the seasonality of the disease is noted.

Causes of rotavirus and poisoning of

Before looking for a difference between rotavirus and poisoning, one should understand the causes of their occurrence.

Poisoning, as a rule, develops through the fault of microorganisms that enter our body along with food. Their intensive development provokes improper storage, violation of transportation conditions, non-observance of personal hygiene. Most often, the environment for active propagation of pathogens becomes products that are not subjected to heat treatment before consumption, for example, sausages, cheeses, semi-finished products.

But rotavirus penetrates the body from a sick person. He begins to multiply intensively in the intestine, comes out from the first days with feces. It should be noted that immunity from the virus does not suffer, repeated cases are rare.

All the insidiousness of the virus lies in the fact that an infected person may not even suspect about its existence in the body, because it can manifest itself with a slight malaise and a single diarrhea.

To determine the difference between rotavirus and poisoning, it is necessary to study the symptoms of pathologies.

Manifestations of rotavirus infection

Penetrating into the gastrointestinal tract, rotavirus rapidly multiplies and in a short period of time can cause severe dehydration. Even on the external appearance of a person it is noticeable:

  • Sunken eyes.
  • Dry mucous membranes.
  • The skin may appear wrinkled.

One day for the virus is enough that a person significantly lost weight. Rotavirus in adults may exhibit the following symptoms:

  • Body temperature rises. rotavirus in adults
  • General weakness appears.
  • Appetite completely disappears.
  • Vomiting, abdominal pain often occurs.
  • Pain occurs when swallowing.
  • If you look at the language, you can see on it a white raid.
  • Constant rumbling in the abdomen.
  • Redness of the throat.
  • Conjunctiva becomes red.
  • Nasal congestion appears.
  • Easy cough.

Often the symptoms disappear after about a week.

How poisoning manifests

Symptoms of food poisoning in adults can be divided into several groups.

  1. Signs of inflammation of the intestinal mucosa:
  • pain in the abdomen;
  • nausea;
  • vomiting.

2. Symptoms of intoxication of the body:

  • appears a general weakness;
  • headache;
  • muscle pain;
  • nausea;
  • chills;
  • can increase body temperature.

3. Signs of dehydration:

  • general weakness;
  • dryness of mucous membranes;
  • frequent stools;symptoms of food poisoning in adults
  • heart palpitations;
  • nausea and vomiting;
  • poorly separated urine;
  • feeling of thirst.

As a rule, the symptoms of food poisoning in adults go through a couple of days. If signs of dehydration are pronounced, it is necessary to see the doctor, because appropriate treatment may be required.

If there is a question, how to distinguish poisoning from rotavirus, then you should know that the first arises suddenly and develops quickly. As a rule, poisoning can be associated with eating certain foods or dishes. If there was a joint meal with someone, then there may be similar symptoms at once for several people.

How to distinguish poisoning from rotavirus

We examined the symptoms of pathologies, and several criteria can be singled out:

  1. Rotavirus infection is characterized by an increase in temperature, which lasts for several days, and when poisoning, if it increases, it is insignificant and short-term.
  2. Rotavirus is usually a seasonal pathogen, often affects small children and is transmitted from the patient to a healthy one, but poisoning can occur at any time of the year and is associated with poor-quality products. It's impossible to get poisoned.
  3. If there is a question: rotavirus or poisoning, then one should bear in mind that in case of a viral pathology, symptoms of ARI, such as a runny nose, sore throat, must necessarily attach to nausea, vomiting and pain in the abdomen. The urine becomes dark in color, as there is severe dehydration. rotavirus or poisoning
  4. If rotavirus affects one member of the family or someone in the team gets sick, then, as a rule, others also begin to get sick. When poisoning, similar symptoms can be observed only in those who ate the same product or dish.

Rotavirus or poisoning? You can answer by looking at the person: with a virus infection you can see reddened eyes and a throat, there is a cough, and when there is no such poison.

Of course, it is very difficult for an uninformed person in such matters to answer the question of how to distinguish poisoning from rotavirus, therefore, at the first signs of any disease it is better to consult a doctor.

Treatment of rotavirus infection

Despite the fact that poisoning and rotavirus infection can have a similar manifestation, but the reasons( and, hence, the treatment) are different. At the first signs, for example, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, the majority rush to take antibiotics, antidiarrheal medications, and this only smoothes the picture, and it will be more difficult for the doctor to make the correct diagnosis.

Treatment of rotavirus infection is usually carried out according to the following scheme:

  1. To prevent dehydration, the drug "Regidron" or saline solution is prescribed.
  2. As it is still a viral infection, it shows the use of antiviral drugs: "Kagotsel", "Citovir".You can not take antibiotics, they can not overcome the virus, but only weaken the defenses of the body.
  3. The virus affects the intestines, therefore, to facilitate its work, it is necessary to take enzymes "Festal", "Mezim", "Pancreatin".
  4. Adsorptive preparations will help: "Polysorb", "Smecta".What is the difference between rotavirus and poisoning
  5. To restore useful intestinal microflora will help "Atzilak", "Lactobacterin", "Lineks."
  6. At elevated body temperature, you can take an antipyretic, for example, "Paracetamol."
  7. If dehydration is found in a small child who can not be made to drink, make intravenous fluids.

If it is correctly identified - rotavirus or poisoning in an adult, such treatment will quickly yield positive results.

Nutrition - an integral part of the treatment

Not only medical therapy will help to cope with rotavirus, it is important to follow some recommendations in nutrition:

  1. Exclude dairy products and meals based on them.
  2. It's better to eat steamed dishes.
  3. Drink plenty of fluids, it's good if it's fruit drinks, compotes, herbal teas.
  4. It is recommended to add porridge, but cooked on the water.
  5. Light meat and fish dishes.
  6. Do not allow carbonated drinks.
  7. It will be necessary to refuse for a while baking, sweets, raw fruits and vegetables.

Even after the body managed to cope with the infection, the doctor usually recommends some time to comply with these recommendations.

How can I protect myself from rotavirus?

Disease is easier to prevent than to treat later. With rotavirus, this is, of course, difficult, but possible. It is important to observe the following recommendations:

  1. Strictly observe hygiene standards, both at home and at work. Graft them to children. rotavirus or adult poisoning
  2. You can get an inoculation against rotavirus.
  3. If the patient appears at home, he should be isolated from the rest to prevent the spread of the infection.

The doctor will tell you how to disinfect the room where the sick person was.

Therapy for food poisoning

Usually poisoning that happens in the home does not apply to serious illnesses. Even if nothing is done, the symptoms go away after 2-3 days. Therapy is aimed at:

  • Elimination of intoxication and excretion of pathogenic microorganisms.
  • Prevention of dehydration.
  • Restoration of intestinal microflora.
  • Normalization of the digestive tract.

If the poisoning has serious symptoms, accompanied by severe vomiting, diarrhea, fever, it is necessary to consult a doctor for the appropriate treatment.

How to distinguish poisoning from rotavirus, we have already dismantled, so it should be obvious that a viral infection requires a more serious attitude and prolonged therapy.

Prevention of food poisoning

To avoid food poisoning, it is important to follow some recommendations:

  • Observe all sanitation standards in the kitchen.
  • Stick to cooking technology. the difference between rotavirus and poisoning
  • Observe the rules for storing food and cooked meals.
  • Do not buy in stores products of questionable quality.
  • Avoid fast food.

It is always easier to prevent the development of the disease than to treat it later. Quite often, when we go to another country or even to the sea, many people observe acclimatization. Poisoning or rotavirus can lie in wait here. The body gets used to new conditions, dishes and can rebel with the manifestation of various symptoms that resemble food poisoning or a viral infection.

This is why during long trips it is very important to comply with all standards of sanitation and personal hygiene. It is necessary to be able to distinguish between these two pathologies. If it's difficult to do this on your own, you'll have to remember about the doctors on vacation.