Gastroenteritis (patient fact sheet)

Please note that this guidance is currently undergoing review by Safer Care Victoria to ensure  the content is up to date. In the meantime, we recommend that you also refer to more contemporaneous evidence where possible.

Download our fact sheet to provide your patients with easy to follow guidance on gastroenteritis.

This fact sheet has the #withconsumers tick from the Consumers Health Forum of Australia

Gastroenteritis (often called ‘gastro’) is a common infection of the bowel that can cause diarrhoea (runny faeces or poo), vomiting, or both.

Gastroenteritis can cause dehydration (loss of water), which sometimes results in a loss of sugar and salts that the body needs to work normally.

Gastroenteritis often settles without treatment. It is more common in winter and affects people of all ages.