The most common cause of its appearance is the consumption of poor-quality food, violation of hygiene rules, and a decrease in general immunity. In order to prevent the spread of the disease, you need to know how gastritis is transmitted.
The main causative agent of this pathology is the microbe X. pylori, infection with which can occur in childhood. When it enters the human body, in most cases it leads to the development of disease. Is gastritis contagious? Yes, if it is caused by a pathogenic microorganism. Other types of pathology are not transmitted by contact.
Reasons for development
The main reason why infectious gastritis of the stomach occurs is the entry into the body of a harmful microbe that can cause inflammation of the gastric mucosa. These microorganisms were Escherichia coli , Klebsiella , Salmonella , and H. pylori . Infectious gastritis develops against the background of:
- dysentery;
- fungal infections of the body;
- venereal diseases;
- lesions by staphylococcus;
- tuberculosis.
What bacteria most often causes gastritis? This is Helicobacter pylori. It is this substance that, when it enters the body, causes symptoms characteristic of gastrointestinal pathologies. But the microbe does not always provoke the development of bacterial gastritis.
There are predisposing factors that contribute to pathology:
- presence of bad habits;
- errors in nutrition;
- taking medications that negatively affect the gastrointestinal tract;
- frequent consumption of sweet soda;
- trauma to the gastric mucosa of various etiologies;
- stress;
- hormonal disbalance;
- decreased general immunity.
The presence of one or more factors creates a favorable environment for the development of pathogenic microorganisms.
How is gastritis transmitted and who causes it?
Knowledge about the prevalence of gastritis among the population is quite varied; according to some sources, these figures reach 70% of the population, and according to others, about 90%.
But, nevertheless, based on these statistics, we can say that almost every second inhabitant of our planet is infected with the bacterium Helicobacter pylori. Many people are interested in the question of how gastritis is transmitted.
Methods of infection
Is infectious gastritis transmitted by airborne droplets? This occurs when the causative agent is H. pylori. A person can become infected with a pathogenic microbe through poorly washed dishes, hygiene items, and dirty hands. This type of gastritis is transmitted through saliva during a kiss. If one family member is infected with the bacterium, then everyone else is also infected, but this is not a hereditary transmission route. Infection occurs through contact.
Often pregnant women who have been diagnosed with a bacterial form are concerned with the question: is infectious gastritis inherited? No, the bacterium cannot be infected intrauterinely; infection occurs only through contaminated objects or products.
Is gastritis inherited or through a kiss?
Gastroduodenitis, or more precisely the bacterium that caused it, can be infected through saliva, and therefore through a kiss. In the development of pathology, the hereditary factor is of great importance. This also causes the disease. Parents who have suffered from gastroduodenitis are able to pass on to their child a certain gene that provokes the development of pathology. After birth, the baby only has a tendency to develop gastritis, and not the disease itself. The progression of the pathology depends on many factors, including lifestyle, so it is not worth saying that the disease is necessarily inherited.
What is Helicobacter pylori
This is a gram-negative microorganism with a spiral shape that actively develops in an acidic gastric environment. They move quickly using flagella. They have a negative effect on the walls of the stomach. Microbes in the process of vital activity secrete acids that can destroy epithelial cells of the surface layer of the mucosa. This causes inflammation and characteristic symptoms.
A feature of the microorganism is its ability to change its morphological shape and envelop itself in a protective film. This creates difficulties in treatment, since the film protects it from negative effects and the microbe becomes resistant to antibiotics. H. pylori can cause not only bacterial gastritis, but also ulcers.
How Helicobacter pylori enters the body
Is bacterial gastritis transmitted from one patient to another? Yes, since the main method of infection with a microbe is through household contact and fecal-oral contact. If hygiene is not observed, as well as during kissing, microorganisms enter directly into the human gastric tract.
Clinical picture of the acute form
Signs of the acute form were:
- sharp pain in the stomach;
- diarrhea;
- temperature increase;
- chills;
- vomit;
- lack of appetite.
Due to large loss of fluid (frequent diarrhea, vomiting), the patient develops symptoms of dehydration: dry skin, coated tongue, dizziness, hypotension. Treatment must be carried out quickly so that the symptoms of intoxication do not increase. Therefore, when the first signs of acute gastritis appear, you must contact a medical facility.
Symptoms of the chronic form
The clinical picture of chronic infectious gastritis is not so bright or is asymptomatic. But this type of disease is more dangerous than the acute one, since against the background of apparent well-being (no symptoms), atrophy of the gastric mucosa occurs, which can subsequently lead to oncology. Therefore, you cannot ignore the signs of the disease, even if they occur periodically and do not cause severe discomfort:
- decreased appetite;
- weight loss;
- increased salivation;
- stagnation of food in the gastrointestinal tract;
- bad breath;
- bowel dysfunction (constipation gives way to diarrhea).
Basically, the chronic form is characteristic of gastritis with low acidity. The pain syndrome is weak or absent, the patient complains of indigestion and bloating.
Why does my stomach hurt after the flu?
Gastritis is inflammation of the mucous membrane of the stomach. If noticed in the initial stages, it can be quickly eliminated. But if treatment is not started in a timely manner, gastritis can progress and develop into an ulcer.
Well-known gastroenterologist Elena Samogal states that gastritis is often caused by excessive medication. These drugs include paracetamol, aspirin, and indomethacin.
Basically, during the flu, the patient takes a large number of medications. His appetite worsens and he begins to eat poorly. People with bad habits are especially at risk.
Infectious form of gastritis in children
This form of gastritis has recently been often diagnosed in children. This is due to stress, eating foods containing a lot of preservatives and chemical additives. The most common infectious gastritis among children is caused by H. pylori. This is due to the fact that infection occurs through contact, that is, from one child to another if hygiene rules are not observed. Symptoms that should alert parents:
- refusal of food;
- decreased activity;
- temperature increase;
- dyspeptic disorders.
Small children are capricious, they are not interested in toys, they hold on to their stomachs, thereby indicating where it hurts. If this condition lasts more than a week, then you need to consult a doctor. In addition, if a family member suffers from a gastrointestinal disease and the child periodically has indigestion, then this is also a reason to consult a doctor.
What's the result?
Based on the above data, gastritis is contagious. As modern medical research has shown, the causative agent of gastritis is the infectious bacterium Helicobacter pylori. The microbe is dangerous, under certain favorable factors it causes a lot of trouble, leading to the development of cancer in the patient. Most often, the bacterium does not cause any inconvenience to the host. In the modern world, every third person on the planet is infected with it, but not everyone develops gastritis. The phenomenon is accompanied by a number of factors.
Helicobacter is easily transmitted from a sick person to a healthy person. Transmission occurs through household contacts, kissing or intimate caresses. If a family member has been exposed to the disease, it is worth limiting his tactile contact with his family for a certain time.
In selected cases, gastritis is inherited. It is considered possible that the gene for predisposition to gastritis can be passed on from parents to children. You should pay close attention to your health if you have a family relative with stomach cancer or another gastrointestinal cancer. Living conditions and contact with infected people will seriously affect health. You should not refuse to take a test to detect Helicobacter pylori. As medical practice shows, proper treatment will help prevent a lot of unpleasant diseases in the future.
Gastritis is a complex disease that can be transmitted from a sick person to a healthy one. At the first symptoms, you must undergo a full course of examination by a doctor.
Diagnostic procedures
Since infectious gastritis is caused by a microbe, diagnostic methods are aimed at identifying it. First, the doctor interviews the patient, collects anamnesis, finds out if there are any gastrointestinal pathologies in the family, palpates the abdomen, and examines the oral cavity. Then the patient is prescribed:
- general blood analysis;
- stool analysis;
- serological blood test (detection of pathogenic microbes);
- determination of gastric acidity;
- Ultrasound and X-ray of the stomach;
- gastroscopy with mandatory biopsy.
Based on the research results, a diagnosis is made, the pathogen is identified and the correct treatment is prescribed.
Treatment of infectious inflammation
Infectious gastritis must be treated comprehensively:
- medicines;
- diet;
- normalization of the daily routine.
Medicines are selected for each patient individually, depending on the pathogen and the patient’s condition. Treatment of H. pylori is carried out according to a regimen that includes 2-3 antibiotics ( Clatrithromycin , Furazolidone , Amoxicillin ). In addition, the patient is prescribed drugs that can restore the gastric mucosa. For hypoacid gastritis, bismuth-based medications ( De-nol ) are prescribed.
For increased acidity, the use of antacids ( Phosphalugel ) and proton pump blockers ( Omeprazole ) is indicated. If the pain syndrome is severe, then take painkillers.
Should you avoid physical activity if you have gastritis?
Physical activity for gastritis is contraindicated only in the period immediately after eating, that is, for about 2-3, less often 4 hours. Some people intuitively understand this and do not exercise immediately after eating. Others prefer to lie down after a heavy lunch, which also harms the stomach, provoking the development of gastritis and reflux disease. It is also not recommended to lie down after eating for 2-3 hours, that is, while the food is still in the stomach. The same recommendation applies to the last meal, after which many people immediately go to bed.
Source: Author: Sergey Vyalov, gastroenterologist, hepatologist, candidate of medical sciences.
Disease prevention
To prevent the development of infectious gastritis, you need:
- maintain personal hygiene;
- is attentive to the products consumed;
- to refuse from bad habits;
- do not indulge in junk food;
- be less nervous;
- eat right (exclude snacks).
You need to monitor your condition and if you have any digestive problems, consult a doctor.
Recipes for treating gastritis
After acute symptoms are relieved, gastritis can be treated at home. But before starting such therapy, you need to consult a doctor, since certain infusions and herbal preparations correspond to different types of the disease (with high or low acidity).
The easiest way is to buy at the pharmacy a set of medicinal herbs used in the treatment of hypoacid or hyperacid gastritis. This is written in the instructions for the drug. In folk medicine, flax seeds, honey, propolis, St. John's wort, thyme, etc. are used to treat inflammation of the gastric mucosa.
