what is gastroenteritis?
Gastroenteritis is a condition involving inflammation of the lining of the gut-in particular, of the stomach, and small and large intestines.1,2. Food poisoning is a major cause of gastroenteritis, resulting in a well-known set of unpleasant symptoms. In most people, gastroenteritis resolves without medical help, but the condition can lead to severe dehydration and other dangerous complications in some people. Gastroenteritis is usually caused by viruses, bacteria or parasites; where the source of such infection is contaminated food, this is called food poisoning. Gastroenteritis may also be referred to as gastric flu  or stomach flu. 1,2.