Doctor's Notes on Food Poisoning vs. Stomach Bug: Comparison of Differences
Food poisoning is an illness caused by eating or drinking contaminated food or water. The contaminants can be viruses, bacteria, toxins, parasites, or chemicals. Stomach flu (gastroenteritis) is a general term used for various inflammatory problems in the digestive tract, some of which include food poisoning causes. The most common food poisoning symptoms and signs are abdominal cramps, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. More severe food poisoning symptoms may include
- blood in the stool or vomit,
- dehydration,
- high fevers,
- diarrhea the last for 3 days,
- headaches,
- weakness,
- blurry vision,
- bloating,
- renal problems,
- numbness tingling or burning sensation to the extremities,
- seizures, and
- death.
Signs and symptoms of gastroenteritis are less severe than those for food poisoning and include
- low-grade fevers,
- nausea without vomiting,
- mild to moderate diarrhea, and
- crampy abdominal bloating.
However, more serious symptoms and signs can occur such as blood in vomitus or stools, vomiting more than 48 hours, fever high than 101 F, swollen abdomen with increasingly severe abdominal pain, and dehydration. Most causes of food poisoning last from a few hours to a few days while gastroenteritis last from 1 to 2 days to months.
Viruses are the most frequent cause of food poisoning in the U.S. The next highest causes are bacteria while other causes include chemicals, parasites, and toxins. Viruses cause about 70% of gastroenteritis problems, and bacterial infections cause most of the rest.
How Do the Treatments Differ for Food Poisoning and Gastroenteritis?
Treatments for food poisoning and gastroenteritis have almost the same treatments. In general, the treatments for both include the following:
- Drink plenty of fluids.
- Some fluids should contain electrolytes (sodium, potassium, calcium).
- Use antibiotics or antiparasitic drugs (if cause is viral, do not treat with antibiotics) appropriately.
- If symptoms are severe, IV fluids and possible IV drugs in a hospital may be necessary.
The main difference is that food poisoning can have toxic ingestions that when stopped may resolve quickly where gastroenteritis may take days to months to resolve. However, some patients may not have the predicted resolutions, so an accurate diagnosis of the cause of symptoms and is important for treatment.
Pancreatitis : Test Your Medical IQ Quiz

Pancreatitis is inflammation of an organ in the abdomen called the pancreas.
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Abdominal Pain (Adults)
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Antibiotics
Antibiotics are prescribed to individuals to cure disease by killing bacteria. There are over 100 antibiotics. The main classes of antibiotics include penicillins, cephalosporins, macrolides, flouroquinolones, sulfonamides, tetracyclines, and aminoglycosides. Antibiotic resistance is a growing problem due to the overprescription of antibiotics to individuals. Allergic reactions to antibiotics commonly have the following symptoms shortness of breath, rash, hives, itching, swelling of the lips, face, or tongue, and fainting. -
Dehydration in Adults
Dehydration occurs when the loss of body fluids (mostly water), exceeds the amount that is taken in. Causes of dehydration include fever, vomiting, diarrhea, diseases (diabetes), impaired ability to drink, lack of access to safe drinking water, and injuries to the skin. Common symptoms of dehydration include dizziness, dry skin, headache, low urine output, tiredness, sleepiness, dry mouth, and increased thirst. Treatment of dehydration depends upon the severity of the condition. -
Dehydration in Children
Dehydration in children can result from not drinking enough liquids, vomiting, diarrhea, or combination of these conditions. Causes of dehydration in children include viral, bacterial, or parasitic infections, diabetes, and increased sweating, and others. Symptoms include sunken eyes, decrease in urination, no tears when crying, dry mouth, lethargy, and irritability. Treatment at home includes proper fluid replacement. Some cases of dehydration are so severe they may require hospitalization. -
Diarrhea
Diarrhea can be caused by bacterial or viral infections, parasites, intestinal diseases or conditions, reactions to medications, and food intolerance or allergies. Symptoms of diarrhea include watery stools, abdominal cramping, fever, and dehydration. Most cases of diarrhea can be treated at home. In some cases (in the elderly, small children, or those with severe or chronic medical conditions) may need to be hospitalized due to dehydration. -
Diarrhea: Is It Food Poisoning or Infection?
Food poisoning is a general term that refers to gastrointestinal illnesses (usually diarrhea and/or vomiting) caused by food that is contaminated with bacteria, parasites, viruses, or toxic substances. -
Flatulence (Gas)
Flatulence (gas) is a normal bodily function. Excess gas may be produced by swallowing excess air, problems in the breakdown of undigested foods, lactose deficiency, malabsorbtion problems, and bowel habits such as parasites, poor dietary fiber, cancer, diverticulitis, thyroid problems, narcotic and other drug use. -
Food Poisoning
Food poisoning is caused by viruses, bacteria, toxins, parasites, or chemicals that have contaminated food or drinking water. Symptoms of food poisoning include diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, fever, abdominal cramping, dehydration, rectal bleeding, and bloating. Food poisoning usually can be cared for at home. In some instances (severe dehydration) a person may be hospitalized for treatment. -
Gastroenteritis (Stomach Flu) Symptoms, Transmission, Contagious, and Cure
Gastroenteritis (stomach flu) is most commonly caused by viruses and bacteria like Norovirus, rotavirus, adenovirus, parvovirus, and Astrovirus. Bacteria causing gastroenteritis include Staphylococcus aureus, E. coli, salmonella, shigella, Campylobacter, and C. difficile. Other causes may be due to chemical toxins. The stomach flu is contagious because it caused by bacteria, viruses, or fungi. You get the stomach flu from contaminated food and drinks from poor hygiene (not washing your hands after using the toilet). Common symptoms of the stomach flu are; mild to moderate diarrhea, abdominal cramping, abdominal bloating,and low grade fever. Home remedies to treat the stomach flu include rest and hydration to avoid dehydration. Over-the-counter or prescription medicine may be necessary to treat the signs and symptoms of the stomach flu (gastroenteritis). The stomach flu can be prevented by using proper hygiene when using the bathroom. -
How Long Does It Take to Know If You Have Salmonella?
Symptoms of Salmonella usually appear within six hours to six days after eating food (or touching an animal) contaminated with the bacteria and include. Nausea, vomiting, fever and diarrhea are all hallmark symptoms. -
Is the Stomach Flu Contagious?
Stomach flu (viral gastroenteritis) is caused by a number of different viruses. It is contagious, spreading from person to person through contact with an infected person’s stool or vomit. -
Stomach Pain (Abdominal Pain) in Children
Abdominal pain in children can range from trivial to life-threatening. Symptoms of abdominal pain range from vomiting, diarrhea, fever, groin pain, urinary problems, or skin rash. The location of the abdominal pain may be around the belly button, occurs only at night, while eating. The pain pain also may be intermittent. Treatment of abdominal pain in children is depends on the cause. Possible causes of abdominal pain in children include infections, food related (food allergy or food poisoning), poisoning from medication, food, household products, appendicitis, diabetes, or spider bites. -
Traveler's Diarrhea
Causes of traveler's diarrhea include bacteria, viruses, and protozoa. Traveler's diarrhea is contagious, with symptoms including loose or watery stools, abdominal cramping, bloating, nausea, vomiting, fever, headache, and bloody stools. Treatment for traveler's diarrhea is generally with OTC medication. -
What Happens If You Get Listeria?
Listeria (listeriosis) is a potentially serious infection usually caused by eating food contaminated with the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes. Symptoms include nausea and vomiting, among others. It is usually not serious in otherwise healthy people.
REFERENCE:
Kasper, D.L., et al., eds. Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, 19th Ed. United States: McGraw-Hill Education, 2015.