There has been a sudden surge in stomach infection cases in Kolkata, multiple doctors said. Many patients are complaining of severe stomach pain, nausea, diarrhoea and even fever. Severe cases require hospitalisation.
The bad stomach bug – or gastrointestinal tract infection – is possibly caused by contaminated food and water and is affecting children as well as adults, they said.
“Many people are traveling right now: to hill stations, beaches, and other places. This is also the season when we see gastrointestinal infections,” said Dr Prasanta Debnath, a consultant gastroenterologist at Medica Hospital and Apollo Clinic Newtown.
He explained that a bacteria called Campylobacter is a common cause, sometimes leading to serious complications like Guillain-Barre syndrome, a nerve-related disorder.
“Patients first experience nausea and loss of appetite, followed by fever and loose stools. Some even pass blood in their stool. But there’s no need to panic, most cases resolve on their own with hydration and basic antibiotics,” he said.
Severe symptoms like persistent vomiting, low blood pressure, or signs of kidney trouble require immediate medical attention, he added.
“There has been a surge in such patients in recent times; I am attending three-four such patients every day. In a few patients whom I have treated recently I have noticed patients usually have these common symptoms: First, symptoms of nausea, not feeling like having food, and then some go on to develop fever.”
To stay safe, Dr Debnath advised avoiding street food and drinking only boiled or purified water.
“If you do get infected, hydration is key. ORS, electrolyte solutions, or even a simple homemade sugar-salt solution can help,” he said.
Dr Sanjay Basu, a gastroenterologist at a private hospital in Mukundapur, said he has been treating two-to-three such patients with such symptoms daily.
“Bugs are common in anybody's intestines, it is supposed to be there, bugs are found in one’s food pipe or colon where the stool is, so that is natural. Sometimes there is infection, the bad bugs of the intestine grows in number more than the good ones. It can happen from water, water-borne infections, many kinds like amoebiasis, like protozoa, parasitic infections, bacterial infections,” he added
He advised frequent handwashing and avoiding water from unreliable sources. Even bottled water can sometimes be contaminated, he pointed out.
“If symptoms persist beyond two days, or if you're unable to eat or drink, see a doctor immediately,” he said.
“In mild cases, symptoms include stomach pain and diarrhoea, which usually resolve in a day or two. But in severe cases, people develop fever, bloody stools and dehydration, requiring hospitalisation.
“To treat it at home a patient can take a Domperidone tablet after consulting with their doctor. It's a tablet or liquid, which helps with vomiting. The average recovery time for such cases is 3.6 days and in severe cases it can last more than five days,” he added.
Dr Vikash Prakash, consultant at Manipal Hospital’s gastroenterology department, has seen an increase in “unexplained abdominal pain cases” over the last two months.
“Every day, I see one or two patients with moderate to severe stomach pain, nausea, and diarrhoea. But in many cases, there's no obvious source of contamination,” he said. “Despite multiple investigations in patients in whom pain is not resolving for a few days nothing is forthcoming. That makes us believe it's an uncommon cause of pain in the abdomen.”
He suspects this could be a kind of stomach flu, caused by viruses like norovirus, rotavirus and adenovirus.
“The patients I am seeing are stating issues of moderate to severe pain in the upper abdomen and sometimes whole abdomen,” he said.
“In children, the illness lasts under a week but in adults, symptoms can persist for up to two weeks. Even after recovery, patients may still spread the virus,” he explained.
Dr Prakash also recommends washing hands frequently, avoiding raw and unhygienic food, and maintaining distance from people with flu-like symptoms.
“Most cases can be treated at home with rest, plenty of fluids, and ORS. Avoid fatty foods and stick to a bland diet until symptoms improve,” he said.
Dr Saswata Chatterjee, consultant, gastroscience at CMRI Kolkata, believes that seasonal changes are playing a role in the rising cases.
“The problem in the stomach occurs due to viral or bacterial pathogens. One of the most well-known viruses is the norovirus. This is triggered during the season change from cold temperatures to humidity,” he said.
He warns that the virus spreads through contaminated water, poor hygiene, and weakened immunity.
“As cases rise, it’s crucial to practice good hygiene,” he said.
How can the infection be treated at home?
According to Dr Saswata Chatterjee here are the things a patients need to follow: