Summary
- Associated with substantial morbidity in developed countries. Continues to be a cause of significant mortality in developing countries.
- Presents with vomiting and diarrhoea (with or without fever, nausea, or abdominal pain).
- Dehydration, which may be associated with electrolyte imbalance and metabolic acidosis, is the most frequent and dangerous complication.
- Oral rehydration therapy is the mainstay of treatment.
- Self-limiting disease with excellent prognosis if correctly treated.
Other related conditions
- Assessment of acute diarrhoea
- Assessment of abdominal pain in children
- Volume depletion in children
- Viral gastroenteritis
- Clostridium difficile-associated disease
- Food poisoning
- Coeliac disease
- Cystic fibrosis
- Sepsis
- Shock
- Assessment of shock
- Intussusception
- Acute appendicitis
- Crohn's disease
- Ulcerative colitis
- Overview of acid-base and electrolyte disorders
- Assessment of metabolic acidosis
- Assessment of hypokalaemia
- Assessment of hyponatraemia
- Non-diabetic hypoglycaemia
Last updated: Mar 27, 2013
