Food can cause enterocolitis if the food is contaminated with the bacteria or parasites that cause the enterocolitis.
Bacteria in food that can cause enterocolitis are Staphylococcus aureus, Shigella, Campylobacter, E. coli and Salmonella.
These bacteria can spread through food and water and when consumed, they can cause enterocolitis as well as other food poisonings and cause abdominal pain fever, diarrhea and vomiting as well as inflammation and irritation of your small intestines and large intestines.
The cause of enterocolitis are infections from viruses, parasites or bacteria, which lead to inflammation of your small intestine and colon, which is often from contaminated water or food.
Other causes of enterocolitis are lack of blood flow to your colon, also called ischemic colitis, autoimmune conditions, radiation damage and even Crohn's disease or certain medications like NSAIDs.
You can get enterocolitis a variety of ways including through food allergies, food intolerance, ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease and bacterial infections like Escherichia coli, Salmonella or viral infections such as rotavirus or parasitic infections like Giardia.
Some cases of enterocolitis are bacterial or viral in cause and other cases of enterocolitis are caused by parasites, such as through contaminated water or food.
Non infectious causes of enterocolitis include autoimmune diseases such as Crohn's disease, or even side effects from some medications, such NSAIDs, radiation therapy, or even some chronic conditions, such as celiac disease.
In newborn babies, especially in premature infants, nectrotizing enterocolitis can be caused by an underdeveloped intestine and factors like decreased oxygen supply or from formula feeding.
The symptoms of enterocolitis are abdominal pain and cramping, diarrhea that can be bloody, vomiting and nausea, fever, fatigue, bloating and loss of appetite.
Enterocolitis usually lasts a few weeks or less for mild cases and for more severe cases enterocolitis can last a few months or even sometimes longer.
The time that it takes for enterocolitis to go away can range from a couple of days to a few weeks or longer, depending on the type and severity of the enterocolitis.
Most mild enterocolitis infections often go away within a few days to a week with hydration and supportive care or if it's caused by bacteria, taking antibiotics can help to clear up enterocolitis within a week or two.
More severe bacterial infections of enterocolitis may last longer and necrotizing enterocolitis in infants can require weeks of IV antibiotics and total parenteral nutrition after the surgery.
Enterocolitis is life threatening in some cases, especially in the severe form of necrotizing enterocolitis which mainly affects newborns and premature babies.
Necrotizing enterocolitis involves inflammation and tissue death in the intestines and can lead to perforation and sepsis and has a high mortality rate.
Less severe forms of enterocolitis can be life threatening, although most cases of less severe enterocolitis are not life threatening and are often treatable using supportive care and antibiotics.
In severe cases of enterocolitis, like those that involve intestinal perforation, can be fatal and require urgent surgery.
Enterocolitis can lead to sepsis, especially in severe forms of enterocolitis like necrotizing enterocolitis which affects premature infants.
When the intestinal tissue becomes damaged and dies in necrotizing enterocolitis, bacteria can enter your bloodstream, which is a process called bacterial translocation, which triggers a widespread inflammatory response that results in sepsis.
Sepsis can lead to death if not treated promptly.
Enterocolitis is inflammation in both of your intestines at once.
Complications that can arise from enterocolitis are scarring and narrowing "strictures" of the intestine, bowel perforation and even short bowel syndrome, that can result in nutritional deficiencies and malabsorption.
And in severe enough cases of enterocolitis, it can result in complications like septic shock and sepsis, which are life threatening infections.
And long term infections that can arise from enterocolitis are developmental delays and growth delays, intestinal failure and even associated liver problems.
Constipation can cause enterocolitis, especially if the constipation is severe or chronic.
Severe or chronic constipation can directly cause a severe form of enterocolitis like stercoral colitis,, in which impacted fecal matter increases the pressure inside the colon, which results in inflammation, ulcers and ischemia and can even result in life threatening complications like sepsis or even perforation.
Constipation is also a key factor in a dangerous condition called Hirschsprung associated enterocolitis, in infants, in which a lack of nerves in their bowel causes a functional obstruction, fecal stasis and bacterial overgrowth and then subsequently, enterocolitis.
For most people, enterocolitis is often caused by viral, bacterial or parasitic infections, which affect your intestines.
Although severe systemic infections such as sepsis can potentially lead to complications that involve multiple organs, including your gut.
Enterocolitis is not all that common in adults, and it's more common in infants and young children.
Various types of enterocolitis do exist, and adult cases of enterocolitis are often associated with more specific and less common conditions such as necrotizing enterocolitis in the context of chemotherapy or neutropenia, or even food protein induced enterocolitis syndrome.
Clostridium difficile or C. diff enterocolitis is a specific type of enterocolitis that is caused by the C. difficile bacteria, which inflames your large intestine and leads to watery diarrhea, fever and abdominal pain.
C. diff enterocolitis is often a complication of antibiotic use which disrupts your normal gut bacteria and allows the C. diff to overgrow and produce toxins.
Taking antibiotics can eliminate the beneficial bacteria in the gut that keep C. diff in check.
And with the protective bacteria gone, C. difficile can also multiply rapidly in your intestines and the bacteria then releases toxins which damage the lining of your intestines and cause inflammation as well as severe symptoms.
Enterocolitis is inflammation of both your small intestine and your large intestine.
Enterocolitis can be caused by several factors, which include antibiotic use, autoimmune disorders, dietary factors and infections.
Common causes of enterocolitis are food allergies, food intolerance, ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease and bacterial infections like Escherichia coli, Salmonella or viral infections such as rotavirus or parasitic infections like Giardia.
The symptoms of enterocolitis are abdominal pain and cramping, diarrhea that can be bloody, vomiting and nausea, fever, fatigue, bloating and loss of appetite.
Diagnosis of enterocolitis are through physical exams, blood tests, stool tests and trough X rays and CT scans.