Gastroenteritis is a term which is not interchangeable with food poisoning, as many believe. Gastroenteritis means irritation and inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract, which includes the stomach and small and large intestines. The condition is usually due to bacteria, food poisoning, parasites, or viruses, and it often results in diarrhea, abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting. Gastroenteritis is commonly called gastric flu or stomach flu although it has no relation to the influenza virus.
What is the difference between gastroenteritis and food poisoning?
Specifically, gastroenteritis refers to infection/inflammation of the mucous membrane of the digestive tract, while food poisoning refers to a type of bacterial gastroenteritis that was caused by something the patient ate. Food poisoning can also refer to chemical food poisoning, as might happen if you ate a poisonous mushroom. In broad terms, gastroenteritis describes what the patient has, while food poisoning describes how the patient got it.
Source: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com
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