What Is Enteritis?

Medically reviewed by Robert Burakoff, MD

Enteritis is a common occurrence characterized by temporary inflammation, or swelling, in your small intestine. Norovirus, a common and contagious virus, is responsible for 19-21 million cases of enteritis every year in the United States. Other common causes include infections and radiation therapy.

Since many causes of enteritis are contagious, you have a higher risk of developing it if someone you know has it. The most common symptoms of enteritis include nausea and vomiting.

Mild cases of enteritis usually go away without medical treatment, but severe cases may require hospitalization. Treatment options vary depending on the severity of your enteritis and what’s causing it. While most cases are mild, severe enteritis may cause bowel obstruction or electrolyte imbalances. You can prevent some cases of enteritis by focusing on food safety and cleanliness.

Types of Enteritis

There are five major types of enteritis. The types are based on the underlying cause and what part of your digestive system is affected.

• Bacterial gastroenteritis: If you eat food or water contaminated with bacteria, it can enter your stomach and small intestine. Another name for bacterial gastroenteritis is “food poisoning.”

• Viral gastroenteritis: With gastroenteritis, your stomach and small intestine are both inflamed. Some people call this condition the “stomach bug” or the “stomach flu.”

• Radiation enteritis: Radiation enteritis is a complication of radiation therapy, which is sometimes used to treat cancer. Usually, radiation enteritis goes away within three months of stopping radiation therapy.

• Ischemic enteritis: Ischemic enteritis is rare, but more common in people with diabetes, heart disease, or hypertension (high blood pressure), among other conditions. It can occur when a blot clot blocks the vessels that bring blood to your small intestine.

• Autoimmune-related: Crohn’s disease and lupus are two autoimmune diseases that can cause enteritis. An autoimmune disease is when your immune system mistakenly attacks your healthy tissue.

Enteritis Symptoms

Enteritis causes inflammation that can affect your body’s ability to digest food. This can lead to sudden digestive discomfort.

Common symptoms of enteritis include:

• Diarrhea

• Vomiting

• Bloody stools

• Stomach pain

• Loss of appetite

See a healthcare provider immediately if you experience bloody stools, severe stomach pain, or more than 6 loose stools in a day.

Some cases of enteritis may cause dehydration. Dehydration happens when your body doesn’t have enough water to support itself. When you’re vomiting or have diarrhea, you may be unable to replace the fluid you’ve lost. Not every case of enteritis will lead to dehydration.

If you become dehydrated, you may experience:

• Dry mouth

• Dark urine

• Headaches

• Muscle cramps

If your enteritis worsens, you may become severely dehydrated. Symptoms of severe dehydration include:

• Sunken eyes

• Shriveled skin

• Increased heartbeat

• Increased breathing rate

Severe dehydration can be life-threatening. If it remains untreated, you can go into shock or lose consciousness. Seek out emergency care immediately if you think you may be experiencing severe dehydration.

What Causes Enteritis?

Some bacteria attach themselves to the wall of your small intestine. Your small intestine typically absorbs fluid from your diet, but the bacteria may prevent this from happening. The bacteria may also encourage your small intestine to make its own fluid. This causes diarrhea.

Bacteria, like E coli or Salmonella, are usually responsible for severe cases of bacterial enteritis. Symptoms usually begin within a week of coming into contact with the bacteria. However, the most common cause of gastroenteritis is the norovirus. Other causes of viral enteritis include rotavirus, adenovirus, and astrovirus.

Parasites, like Giardia, can also cause enteritis. Parasites easily travel from person to person on small amounts of stool. People in areas with poor sanitation, children in daycare, swimmers in infected pools, or campers who drink from infected waters are the most at risk.

For some people, a fungal infection could cause their enteritis. This is more common in young children, people who are hospitalized, or those with compromised immune systems. The most common fungi that cause these infections are Candida or Aspergillus.

Radiation enteritis is caused by radiation therapy. During radiation therapy, the radiation shrinks or kills off the cancer cells, but it also affects your small intestine. This can cause inflammation.

Radiation therapy can cause a bacterial imbalance in your gut. Typically, your small intestine thrives when it has a mixed population of bacteria supporting it. With radiation, some types of bacteria die, leaving your gut unbalanced.

Risk Factors of Enteritis

You have a higher risk of developing enteritis if you’ve been exposed to a type of  bacteria that causes it. Risk factors of bacterial or viral enteritis include:

• Traveling

• Drinking unclean water

• Improperly handling food

• Coming into contact with someone who has enteritis

You may be more at risk for radiation enteritis if you receive radiation therapy for cervical, prostate, uterine, or colon cancer. These cancers are found near the small intestine.

Other risk factors for ischemic enteritis include:

• High or low blood pressure

• Heart, vessel, or clotting conditions

• Illicit drug use

• Taking certain medications, like triptans or birth control

How Is Enteritis Diagnosed?

If you think you have enteritis, visit a gastroenterologist for an official diagnosis. A gastroenterologist is a healthcare provider that specializes in  the digestive system. During your appointment, your gastroenterologist will perform a detailed physical assessment.

They may perform testing to rule out other potential causes of your symptoms, such as pancreatic cancer, ulcerative colitis, or pancreatitis.

Your gastroenterologist may use the following test to diagnose enteritis:

• Stool culture: A laboratory will test your stool to learn if an infection is causing your digestive symptoms.

• Endoscopy: Your healthcare provider will use a small camera called an endoscope to look at your small intestine and take tissue samples for testing (called a biopsy).

• Computerized tomography (CT) scan: This non-invasive imaging technique uses X-rays to create 3D images of your organs. It can be used to look for inflammation in your small intestine or stomach.

• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI): An MRI uses magnetic fields to create images of your organs, which can help your healthcare provider look for inflammation and rule out any other disorders.

Sometimes, your gastroenterologist may be able to diagnose your enteritis by asking about your symptoms, diet, and travel history. They will ask you how long you’ve been experiencing your symptoms and how frequently to help rule out similar conditions.

Treatments for Enteritis

Your healthcare team may create a treatment plan based on the cause of your enteritis. Most cases of enteritis will go away on their own. Your healthcare provider may focus on preventing dehydration and managing symptoms. For severe cases, your healthcare provider may focus on shortening the length of your illness and preventing complications. This can involve:

• Antibiotic therapy: Your healthcare provider may recommend antibiotics for severe cases of bacterial enteritis. Antibiotics are not effective in treating viral enteritis. If you have bacterial enteritis, antibiotics may shorten the length of your symptoms.

• Symptom management: If you don’t have a fever or bloody stools, your healthcare provider may recommend anti-diarrheal medication to help manage your symptoms.

• Hydration: For mild cases of enteritis, drink water or suck on ice chips to ensure you’re staying hydrated. Intravenous (IV) fluids can be used to treat severe enteritis.

Radiation enteritis can be treated by lowering the dose of radiation or shortening your treatment, although that is not always recommended. Your healthcare provider may treat ischemic enteritis by managing the underlying cause. They may recommend blood thinners, antibiotics, or medication to break up blood clots. Some cases may need surgery, like a laparotomy or laparoscopy, to restore blood flow.

How To Prevent Enteritis

Your healthcare provider can prevent radiation enteritis by using low-dose radiation. They should minimize the amount of radiation you receive in specific areas of your body to help reduce exposure to adjacent tissue.

You can prevent viral or bacterial gastroenteritis by:

• Not storing eggs or milk on the refrigerator door, as this reduces their exposure to frequent temperature changes, which may promote unwanted bacterial growth

• Keeping your refrigerator clean

• Throwing out leftovers after four days

• Washing your hands and cooking surfaces to avoid contamination with bacteria

• Keeping raw meat separate from other food

• Using a food thermometer to check for proper cooking temperatures

Prioritizing overall cleanliness can help reduce your risk of enteritis. When you’re traveling, drink bottled water to lower your risk of drinking contaminated water. Avoid swimming in water that may be contaminated.

Complications

Some people may experience complications with severe enteritis.

The following complications may arise:

• Bowel obstruction: In some cases, inflammation may block your intestinal tract.

• Electrolyte imbalances: You may experience muscle, nerve, bone, and heart issues when your electrolyte levels are atypical.

• Irritable bowel syndrome: Intestinal infections cause about 10% of irritable bowel syndrome cases.

If you suspect you have a case of severe enteritis, see a healthcare provider immediately to prevent complications.

A Quick Review

Enteritis is characterized by inflammation of your small intestine. Viruses, bacteria, radiation therapy, autoimmune disorders, and reduced blood flow can inflame your small intestine. When your small intestine becomes inflamed, you may have trouble digesting your food and experience symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain, and bloody stools.

Your healthcare provider may perform tests to determine whether you have enteritis or another condition. Depending on the type of enteritis you have, you may be treated with antibiotics, anti-diarrheal medications, and natural remedies like drinking extra water. Most cases of enteritis go away on their own. In severe cases, you may be hospitalized or need surgery.

You can prevent enteritis by washing your hands and focusing on safe food handling. Keep raw meat separate, clean your refrigerator often, and throw out leftovers after four days. When traveling, drink bottled water and avoid swimming in unknown bodies of water.

Frequently Asked Questions

How serious is enteritis?

Most people with enteritis recover without needing medical treatment. Some people will develop a severe case that requires intervention.

How long does enteritis last?

Viral or bacterial gastroenteritis usually lasts less than one week. Radiation enteritis usually resolves within a few months after you stop radiation therapy.

Is enteritis contagious?

Enteritis caused by a bacterial or viral infection is contagious. Radiation enteritis and ischemic enteritis aren’t contagious.

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