Diarrhoea and Vomiting
By Bjarne Lühr Hansen PhD, MD and Philipp Skafte-Holm MD, Mentor Institute
Stomach flu with a virus is the most common cause of diarrhoea and vomiting. Infections with salmonella and campylobacter are however becoming more and more common. It is important to sufficiently heat-treat your food. You should drink plenty of fluids with salt and sugar.
When you have more than 10 thin stools a day, you have diarrhoea. Vomiting and diarrhoea are often caused by a gastrointestinal infection caused by virus (stomach flu) or more rare bacteria.
In connection with the vomiting there may be periodic stomach pains and slightly increased temperature. Typically, there are more people in the family or in your circle of acquaintances who are ill. The most cases disappear by themselves in the course of 36 hours.
Several different bacteria can cause a gastrointestinal infection. Two of the most common bacteria are salmonella and campylobacter. Most often, people are infected with other more rare bacteria in connection with travelling abroad.
Gastrointestinal infection with salmonella starts suddenly with nausea, watery and slimy stools, vomiting and periodic stomach pains. The temperature may rise to 39-40ºC and disappears again after a couple of days.
Gastrointestinal infection with campylobacter begins with queasiness for a couple of days. Hereafter, diarrhoea containing blood, light fever and very heavy stomach pains. Today, campylobacter is the most common cause of fever and bloody diarrhoea.
Salmonella and campylobacter are found in domestic animals, including poultry, pigs and calves. Meat that has not been sufficiently heat-treated can transmit salmonella and campylobacter to people. The risk is particularly high with eggs. Often, eggs is an ingredient in dishes that are not heat-treated like buttermilk koldskål, mayonnaise and vanilla cream. Salmonella and campylobacter can neither be seen, smelled or tasted in the food. Both bacteria are avoidable if you make sure to heat-treat your food sufficiently.
Your doctor can, by examining your stool, find out if it is a virus, salmonella or campylobacter that us causing the diarrhoea. Far most cases of salmonella or campylobacter disappears by themselves in the course of a couple of days.