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Abstract: 17-year-old Xiao Mei came to our outpatient clinic because of abdominal pain and diarrhea after eating take-out. Through physical examination, routine blood tests and the patient’s clinical manifestations, she was diagnosed with intestinal bacterial infection caused by unhygienic diet, which induced acute enteritis.
Basic information】Female, 17 years old
Disease Type】Intestinal infection
Hospital】Wuhan University Central South Hospital
Date of consultation】December 2021
Treatment plan】Medication (levofloxacin hydrochloride injection, scopolamine hydrochloride injection, sodium chloride glucose injection)
[Treatment period] Standardized treatment for 3 days
Effectiveness】The abdominal pain and diarrhea symptoms gradually improved and the disease was effectively treated.
I. Initial consultation
In the morning, I received a young girl who came to the clinic for treatment of abdominal pain and diarrhea. She reported that her name was Xiao Mei, and she ordered a take-out because she was tired of eating in the school cafeteria. I found that Xiao Mei’s body temperature was normal, no fever for the time being, but her mouth and lips were slightly dry and white, her spirit was poor, and her bowel sounds were active. Combined with the symptoms of abdominal pain and diarrhea that Xiao Mei had, she was considered to have acute enteritis caused by unclean diet, but further clarification was needed through routine blood tests.
II. Treatment
After obtaining consent, Xiao Mei was prescribed a routine blood test to clarify the presence of bacterial infection. The results of routine blood tests revealed an elevated white blood cell count, which clearly indicated that the acute enteritis was caused by a bacterial infection after eating take-out. After consenting, she was given levofloxacin hydrochloride injection for anti-inflammatory treatment, and was also given scopolamine hydrochloride injection to soothe smooth muscles and relieve pain and diarrhea, and sodium chloride glucose injection to replenish fluids to avoid water-electrolyte imbalance due to severe diarrhea.
III. Treatment effect
After the infusion of levofloxacin hydrochloride injection, scopolamine hydrochloride injection and sodium chloride injection on day 1, Xiao Mei reported that she felt that her abdominal pain was reduced, and informed me that her diarrhea symptoms were significantly improved before the infusion was repeated on day 2. By the end of the infusion on the 3rd day, she reported that she felt normal again, no abdominal pain symptoms and the number of bowel movements also tended to be normal. Considering that the disease had subsided, I told Xiao Mei that she could end the treatment.
IV. Precautions
I am very happy that Xiaomei’s health is restored, but after recovery, we should pay attention to the fact that since the gastrointestinal function is still in a weak state, light and easily digestible food should be the main focus in the near future, and the intake of greasy and spicy food is temporarily prohibited. However, nutrient-rich foods, such as fish porridge, can be appropriately supplemented to provide energy for the body and help recovery. In addition, it is also necessary to pay attention to keeping the abdomen warm in daily life to avoid diarrhea symptoms caused by cold, and to drink more water to replenish body fluids on a daily basis.
V. Personal insight
Nowadays, more people like to eat takeout, but there may be hygiene problems with takeout, which may lead to acute enteritis or acute gastroenteritis after eating. For example, 17-year-old Xiao Mei had abdominal pain and diarrhea after eating take-out, but she was able to seek medical attention in time, otherwise her condition may lead to fever, vomiting and other symptoms, causing water-electrolyte disorders, prolonging the treatment time or even life-threatening. Therefore, daily attention should be paid to dietary hygiene issues, less takeout, more light and easy to digest food, beneficial to the maintenance of the gastrointestinal tract.