Enteritis

Enteritis is the inflammation of your small intestine. In some cases, the inflammation can also involve the stomach (gastritis), large intestine (colitis), the large & small intestine (enterocolitis).

There are various types of enteritis. The most common are:

• viral or bacterial infection
• radiation induced
• medication induced
• alcohol or drug induced
• enteritis related to poor blood flow
• enteritis related to inflammatory conditions, such as Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis

Viral enteritis usually clears up without treatment in a few days. However, if you have symptoms of enteritis for more than three or four days, or you suspect that you have bacterial enteritis, seek medical attention.

Symptoms

Symptoms of enteritis can start anywhere from a few hours to a few days after infection. Symptoms may include:

• diarrhea
• nausea and vomiting
• loss of appetite
• abdominal cramps and pain
• pain, bleeding, or mucus-like discharge from the rectum
• fever

Causes / Types of Enteritis

• 1 Infectious enteritis
  • The most common type of bacterial enteritis is caused by food poisoning.
    • You can get it after ingesting food or water that is contaminated with bacteria or viruses. The bacteria can enter the food supply in a number of ways, including: improper food handling, poor hygiene, during poultry and meat processing.
      • The foods most often associated with food poisoning are: raw poultry & meat, unpasteurized milk, and fresh produce.
  • Some common bacteria that cause enteritis include:
    • Salmonella
    • Escherichia coli (E. coli)
    • Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus)
    • Campylobacter jejuni (C. jejuni)
    • Shigella
    • Yersinia enterocolitica (Y. enterocolitica)
    • Bacillus species
  • Coming into close contact with other people or animals that are infected is less common.
• 2. Radiation enteritis
  • This type of enteritis can occur after radiation therapy. Radiation works by killing rapidly dividing cells. This kills cancer cells, but also healthy cells. This includes mouth, stomach, and bowel cells.
  • This condition usually goes away several weeks after you finish your treatment. However, symptoms can sometimes be chronic and last for months or years after you have finished your treatment. Researchers aren’t sure why this happens.
• 3. Some medications, including ibuprofen (Advil) and neproxen (Aleve)
• 4. Illegal drugs, such as cocaine
• 5. Autoimmune diseases / inflammatory enteritis, such as Crohn’s disease
• 6. Vascular disease- Ischemic enteritis is the result of decreased blood flow to the small intestine.

Complications

• If symptoms are severe or, in the case of radiation enteritis, become chronic, there is increased risk of dehydration.
• Dehydration is a potential complication that may cause kidney or urinary problems, as well as heart problems. It is particularly dangerous in infants, young children, older adults and those with chronic illnesses.
• Symptoms of Dehydration (See a doctor if these symptoms don’t resolve in a few days.):
  • excessive thirst
  • dry mouth
  • urinating less frequently or in lower amounts
  • dark urine
  • fatigue
  • weakness
  • lethargy
  • dizziness
  • sunken eyes
  • lack of tears

Treatment

• Enteritis treatment depends on the cause and severity.
• Mild cases often do not need treatment & generally clears up within a few days. They don’t require medical treatment. People with diarrhea must replenish their fluids.
  • Mild cases of viral enteritis may not require any treatment other than staying hydrated and resting.
• Antibiotics & antidiarrheal medicine is sometimes needed.
• Rehydration with electrolyte solutions may be needed.
• Medical care and fluids through a vein (intravenous fluids) if diarrhea and fluids can’t be kept down. This is often the case with young children.
• If diuretics (water pills) or an ACE inhibitor and diarrhea develops, diuretics may need to be stopped. However, do not stop taking any medicine without first talking to a health care provider.
• People who have Crohn’s disease will often need to take anti-inflammatory medicines (not NSAIDs).

Prognosis

• For most people, symptoms go away within a few days. Recovery can take two to three weeks in more severe cases depending on the cause.
• A full recovery may take as long as six to 18 months after radiation is completed in people with radiation enteritis.

Resources & Additional Reading:

• Healthline – Enteritis
• Wikipedia – Enteritis
• Healthgrades – Enteritis
• Medical News Today – What is enteritis?
• Nemours – A to Z: Enteritis
• Mount Sinai – Enteritis