Since the symptoms of both types of gastroenteritis are similar, they can often get confused. Symptoms of viral gastroenteritis, which usually appear one or two days after infection and can last between one to ten days, include: - Diarrhea - Nausea and vomiting - Headache, muscle aches, or joint aches - Fever or chills - Sweating or clammy skin - Abdominal cramps and pain - Lloss of appetite Certain viruses responsible for viral gastroenteritis also have their own set of symptoms: - Norovirus: nausea, diarrhea, fever, body aches - Rotavirus: vomiting, loss of appetite, watery diarrhea lasting between three to eight days. - Adenovirus: sore throat, pink eye, fever, coughing, runny nose. - Astrovirus: diarrhea, headache, mild dehydration, stomach pain Symptoms of bacterial gastroenteritis again vary depending on the bacteria causing it and include: - Loss of appetite - Nausea and vomiting - Diarrhea - Abdominal pain and cramps - Blood in the stools - Fever You should seek emergency medical treatment if: - Diarrhea has lasted for three days or more without improving - There is blood in the diarrhea - You are seeing signs of dehydration, such as dizziness or dry lips. - A child’s eyes have a sunken appearance, or they don’t produce tears when they cry.