Are food poisoning and stomach flu the same thing-

They may or may not be, depending if thecausative agent is transmitted by contaminated food, or if the agent istransmitted by non-food mechanisms such as body secretions. Most health carepractitioners equate stomach flu to viral gastroenteritis (gastro=stomach +entero= intestine + itis= inflammation). Stomach flu is a non-specific termthat describes an illness that usually resolves within 24 hours and is causedcommonly by the adenovirus, Norwalkvirus or rotavirus, most commonly found in children.四川省第四人民医院消化内科常玉英

If numerous cases of "stomachflu" occur in a situation where many people have been eating, it certainlymay be considered food poisoning. Norwalkvirus is responsible for many cases of food borne illness outbreaks on cruiseships.