Dr Kerryn Phelps, Health Editor, with Steve Leibmann, Channel Nine, 'Today'

PHELPS: Good morning, Steve.

LEIBMANN: Look, before we get into this, just quickly on this controversy, and the suggested link between HRT and breast cancer. What do you make of it? What should women do?

PHELPS: I think that it is cause for concern, but not cause for panic. It's important that women look at their own individual risk, their own benefits from HRT, the possible risk factors for them, and I think we also need a little bit of time for Australia's cancer authorities and menopause experts to have a look at this new study in the light of evidence that we have gathered over many years, and to make a decision based on each woman's individual situation.

LEIBMANN: Okay.

PHELPS: There are some women that find that life is simply unbearable because of their menopause symptoms. If they are taking HRT in the hope of preventing heart disease, then it would appear that that is no longer the case.

LEIBMANN: Okay. So, the top line is don't panic?

PHELPS: Don't panic, see your doctor.

LEIBMANN: Okay. Right. Gastroenteritis, what's the… it's a disease, but what's the difference between gastro, and viral gastroenteritis?

PHELPS: Well, gastroenteritis is an infection of the stomach and intestines, and it can be caused by a virus, so viral gastroenteritis is the one caused by viruses. The bacterial ones tend to be caused by things like food poisoning, salmonella, Shigella, Campylobacter. So, the outbreak in Canberra is a viral gastroenteritis, and I think just a reminder of what a serious illness gastroenteritis can be.

LEIBMANN: Who is most at risk?

PHELPS: The most at risk are young children, the frail, and the elderly. If you look at statistics worldwide, 1.8 million children die every year from diarrhoea, and diarrhoea-related illnesses. So, it's an illness to be taken seriously. There are circumstances where it's very important to see your doctor as soon as possible, particularly if the child is less than six months old, if it's an elderly or frail person with other medical problems, if you can't stop the vomiting, if the diarrhoea won't stop, if bowel motion has blood in it, if the abdominal pains are troublesome, persistent high fever over 38, and if the urine output drops below normal. Those are the signs that there are more things going on there than a simple passing gastro.

LEIBMANN: Okay. So, how do you manage it? How manageable is it?

PHELPS: Well, it's largely manageable at home. I think that the important thing is to try not to spread it around the family and friends. So, keep the person with gastroenteritis away from other people as much as possible until the symptoms have settled. Re-hydration solution is important, things like Gastrolyte, Rapolyte, Hydrolyte, they replace…

LEIBMANN: Same for adults and children?

PHELPS: For adults and children. Now, sometimes children won't take the re-hydration solution. Don't give them the old fashioned remedy of flat lemonade, that's not a good thing to do, it can make the diarrhoea worse. But, what you can do is to give them the lemonade diluted down into four cups of water, with 1 cup of lemonade. Same with unsweetened fruit juice, say plain apple juice for example, pear juice, four cups of water to the one cup of the juice. Obviously, you may need to control the fever. See your doctor if you've got any of those danger signs, but if there are any danger signs, don't hesitate to get medical advice, because it can be a very dangerous, and potentially fatal disease, if it's not managed well.

LEIBMANN: As we have seen. And these are over the counter?

PHELPS: They're available over the counter at the chemist, with your pharmacist's advice, your doctor's advice, but certainly a disease to be taken seriously. And, of course, if I could leave people with one big message, wash your hands after changing nappies, going to the toilet, and before preparing food.

LEIBMANN: Gotcha. See you next week. Thanks.

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