Vomiting and diarrhoea

This page is reference information compiled from the cited sources. It is not medical advice. For any decision about health, diagnosis or care, consult a qualified professional.

What it is

Gastroenteritis is an inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract, including the stomach and intestine. Symptoms may include diarrhea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. Gastroenteritis usually involves both diarrhea and vomiting, but sometimes only one or the other is present. This may be accompanied by abdominal cramps. Signs and symptoms usually begin 12 to 72 hours after contracting the infectious agent. The condition typically lasts less than two weeks. If due to a virus, the condition usually resolves within one week.

Key facts

Gastroenteritis is usually caused by viruses, but gut bacteria, parasites, and fungi can also cause it. In children, rotavirus is the most common cause of severe disease. In adults, norovirus and Campylobacter are common causes. Eating improperly prepared food, drinking contaminated water, or having close contact with an infected person can spread the disease. In 2021, there were 4.67 billion cases of gastroenteritis, resulting in 1.17 million deaths globally. Children and those in the developing world are affected the most. Dehydration is a common complication of diarrhea.

When to seek professional help

Severe dehydration in children may be recognized if the skin color and position returns slowly when pressed. This is called prolonged capillary refill and poor skin turgor. Abnormal breathing is another sign of severe dehydration. Some bacterial infections cause severe abdominal pain and may persist for several weeks. Children are more predisposed to getting hemolytic uremic syndrome than adults.

Source: Gastroenteritis (CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikipedia)), retrieved 2026-11-06.