Gastroenteritis is an infection and inflammation of the stomach and intestines. It is a common illness with a variety of causes including viruses, bacteria, parasites, toxins, chemicals and drugs. There are many kinds of gastroenteritis, most of them contagious.

Cryptosporidium infection is an infection of the bowel caused by a parasite - the main symptom is watery diarrhoea which occurs with stomach cramps

Diarrhoea is when more than three loose, watery stools are passed within one day. The stools passed by someone experiencing diarrhoea are between Type 5 and Type 7 on the Bristol Stool Chart. Diarrhoea may be either acute, lasting for up to two weeks, or chronic, lasting for over four weeks.

Nausea and vomiting are not conditions themselves - rather, they are non-specific symptoms associated with a variety of conditions. Nausea describes a feeling of unease in the stomach, chest or throat. Vomiting (emesis) is the physical act of forcibly ejecting stomach contents through the mouth.

Food protein-induced allergic proctocolitis (FPIAP) is a type of delayed inflammatory non-IgE mediated gut food allergy.

Thousands of people around the world die every day from infections caught while in care, and appropriate and adequate hand hygiene is a crucial prevention technique we can all utilise to reduce the spread of harmful infections and diseases.

Reproduced with permission from The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners. Faecal incontinence is common and debilitating, but poorly assessed and managed in residential aged care facilities

The stool culture is a test that detects and identifies bacteria that cause infections of the lower digestive tract. The test distinguishes between the types

Body temperature is a vital sign used to assess the body’s ability to create and expel heat. The normal body temperature range is 36.5°C to 37.5°C. Measuring a patient’s temperature is specifically useful for identifying possible fever, hyperthermia or hypothermia.

Eosinophilic oesophagitis is related to food allergy and presents with dysphagia and food bolus impaction. A new orally disintegrating tablet formulation of budesonide provides a useful alternative to dietary intervention.