Viral Gastroenteritis (“Stomach Flu”)

Viral gastroenteritis is an infection of your intestines that typically causes watery diarrhea, pain or cramping in your abdomen, nausea or vomiting, and sometimes fever. People commonly call viral gastroenteritis “stomach flu,” but the term is not medically correct. Flu viruses do not cause viral gastroenteritis.

The symptoms of viral gastroenteritis include watery diarrhea, pain or cramping in your abdomen, nausea or vomiting, and sometimes fever. Many different viruses can cause viral gastroenteritis. Viral gastroenteritis spreads through contact with small particles of an infected person’s stool or vomit.

Doctors often diagnose viral gastroenteritis based on your symptoms. If your symptoms are mild and last only a short time, you typically won’t need tests. In some cases, a medical history, a physical exam, and stool tests can help diagnose viral gastroenteritis.

In most cases, you can treat viral gastroenteritis by replacing lost fluids and electrolytes to prevent dehydration. You can take steps to help prevent viral gastroenteritis, such as washing your hands and disinfecting contaminated surfaces. Vaccines can protect children from rotavirus infections.

When you have viral gastroenteritis, you may vomit after you eat or lose your appetite for a short time. When your appetite returns, you can most often go back to eating your normal diet, even if you still have diarrhea. Most experts do not recommend fasting or following a restricted diet.

The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) and other components of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) conduct and support research into many diseases and conditions.