Viral gastroenteritis (stomach flu) is caused by a variety of viruses. The main symptoms are watery diarrhea and vomiting. You may also have headache, fever and abdominal cramps. In general, systemic symptoms may last for 1-2 days but diarrhea is likely to last for up to 10 days. For most people, viral gastroenteritis is usually not a serious disease. It will heal itself even without treatment. For infants and the immune-compromised patients it can be very severe, or even fatal. There is no effective drug treating viral gastroenteritis yet. Viral gastroenteritis is contagious so prevention is the key.
How is Viral gastroenteritis (stomach flu) treated in practice?