Monica Martelli was hospitalized with gastroenteritis. See symptoms and treatment – 06/20/2020

Actress Monica Martelli, 54, has been hospitalized in Santa Casa de Misericordia in Porto Alegre (RS), after being diagnosed with acute gastroenteritis, according to Discover UOL Splash columnist Lucas Pasin.

She would have met the schedule for “My Life on Mars” in the Southern District, but she was hospitalized last Saturday (18) after her performance in Porto Alegre and felt ill.

Gastroenteritis affects the stomach and intestines. Also called gastroenteritis, this is an acute infection caused by a virus (the famous virus, usually caused by some type of enterovirus) or bacteria, and usually develops quickly.

“It is common for a person to be healthy and, from moment to moment, display all the symptoms at once,” explains Alexandre Sacano, gastric surgeon at BP – A Beneficência Portugaluesa de São Paulo.

Nausea, vomiting, severe cramps, and Diarrhea are the main symptoms, but a person may also experience dizziness, malaise, and a low-grade fever. Gastroenteritis, when caused by bacteria, causes a high fever and bloody diarrhea.

What causes gastroenteritis?

This condition is caused by viruses and bacteria transmitted through contaminated water or food. Sacano stresses the importance of monitoring the food consumed, avoiding eating in places where food has been exposed for a long time on the counter, for example.

“The best thing is to eat in trusted places and fresh, freshly prepared food,” he explains. Personal hygiene habits, such as washing hands before meals, should also be maintained.

How is the treatment?

The inflammation usually lasts between three and five days, but symptoms — especially diarrhea — can last up to 15 days. Most commonly, the condition resolves on its own. There are no treatments to treat the problem, only to relieve the symptoms.

Medications such as probiotics, motion sickness medication, fluid intake, and light eating usually help recovery in these first few days. According to Sacano, if vomiting and diarrhea persist for more than three days, it’s important to seek medical help, as fluid loss can lead to dehydration.

In this case, medications are used to contain diarrhea and hydration through intravenous serum. If the infection has a bacterial cause, your doctor may choose to recommend antibiotics as well. It is important that the elderly and children receive special attention, since with reduced immunity, they can cause complications.

“In addition to a faster-developing dehydration regimen, the loss of ‘good’ bacteria from the gut flora can cause an increase in bad bacteria in the gut, increasing the risk of certain infections,” the specialist warns.

*With information from a report published in 07/01/2020.