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Articles on Gastroenteritis

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If it’s been out longer than four hours, it’s best to throw it away. By Merrimon Crawford

Health Check: when should you throw away leftovers?

Did you forget to put the leftovers away? If it’s only an hour or two, that’s OK, but as the temperature drops under 60 degrees, the risk of bacterial growth – and food poisoning – increases.
If this is you, stay away. From shutterstock.com

Health Check: how long are you contagious with gastro?

In many cases you may still be contagious long after you’ve returned to school or work. But there are simple things you can do to minimise the risk of spreading it to others.
Let your tea towel dry out after each use to reduce its bacterial load. Shutterstock/antoniodiaz

Research Check: can tea towels cause food poisoning?

Yes, bacteria can accumulate on tea towels. But most of the bacteria the researchers found are not responsible for food poisoning or other gastrointestinal symptoms.
Inflammation in your stomach and intestinal tract causes diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramping and pain. Photographee.eu/Shutterstock

Health Check: what to eat and drink when you have gastro

Oral rehydration is the cornerstone of treatment for gastro, especially if you’re suffering from mild to moderate dehydration.
People aren’t productive at work when they’re ill and they risk infecting others. William Brawley/Flickr

Health Check: I feel a bit sick, should I stay home or go to work?

You wake up and feel under the weather. If you’re vomiting or have a fever, the decision to stay at home is probably clear cut. But what if you generally feel unwell but are torn about missing work?
Symptoms can occur as soon as 30 minutes after exposure to the culprit organism or toxin. Anton Brand/Shutterstock

Explainer: what is gastroenteritis and why can’t I get rid of it?

We’ve all experienced the abdominal cramps and the urge to get to a toilet – quickly! When the stomach and intestinal tract become inflamed, our bodies respond with the sudden onset of diarrhoea, associated…
Avoiding food poisoning could be as simple as using an esky to transport your food to the picnic. oliveromg/Shutterstock

Health Check: how to avoid food poisoning at summer picnics

Warmer temperatures and eating outside go hand-in-hand, but picnics can sometimes lead to nasty surprises. Food poisoning is unsurprisingly more common in summer months. Every Australian experiences food…
The dreaded stomach flu strikes again? Not likely. RLHyde

Explainer: what is stomach flu?

Nausea, vomiting, tummy pain and cramps, watery diarrhoea … We’ve all had acute gastroenteritis at some stage. As a general practitioner, my patients usually refer to their condition in more colloquial…

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