Flu Surge in Israel: Doctors Warn Gastrointestinal Symptoms Often Misdiagnosed
Influenza cases are surging in Israel, with hundreds hospitalized. Doctors warn that aside from respiratory issues, severe flu strains frequently trigger gastrointestinal symptoms like vomiting and diarrhea.
Influenza cases are on the rise across Israel, with approximately 500 hospitalized patients testing positive for the virus in recent weeks, including both children and adults. Alongside classic symptoms such as fever, coughing, muscle aches, and fatigue, doctors report a prominent gastrointestinal manifestation that many patients fail to associate with the flu.
Anat, a resident of central Israel, shares that she initially experienced flu-like symptoms that rapidly escalated into severe vomiting and diarrhea. "I had chills at first and thought I might have eaten something spoiled, but the food was fresh. Then severe body aches set in, and I was extremely weak. The next day, terrible abdominal pain started, and I was vomiting and having diarrhea simultaneously," she recounts, noting that the ordeal lasted four days and required multiple intravenous fluid treatments at a clinic.
Dr. Basel Abu Jaafar, a pediatrician in the Clalit Health Services Southern District, explains that physicians frequently encounter this presentation among children. "We see many children arriving at clinics with diarrhea and vomiting. Parents report they are completely exhausted, lying in bed, and suffering from severe abdominal pain, but they do not always connect these symptoms to the flu, assuming it is just a regular stomach bug," he notes, emphasizing that when high fever and muscle aches accompany gastrointestinal distress, influenza should be considered.
Dr. Dana Florentin, a family medicine specialist at Clalit in the Dan-Petah Tikva district, adds that adults can also experience gastrointestinal symptoms from the flu. While influenza is primarily a respiratory illness, it can be accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, which are more common in children but can also appear in adults alongside respiratory symptoms.
Distinguishing Flu from Intestinal Viruses
Medical experts explain that influenza typically features a sudden onset of high fever, significant muscle aches, headaches, fatigue, and respiratory issues. In contrast, standard intestinal viruses primarily cause diarrhea, vomiting, and abdominal pain without prominent respiratory signs. However, overlap exists, and in rarer cases, influenza in adults may manifest mainly through digestive symptoms with minimal respiratory indicators.
Doctors stress that the illness can last up to a week or even ten days, making vigilance regarding dehydration essential. If a patient or child vomits repeatedly, cannot retain fluids, produces significantly less urine, or appears unusually lethargic, immediate medical evaluation is necessary.
