Stomach flu, vomiting, diarrhea, gastroenteritis – no matter what you call it, the illness is the nightmare of many parents in particular. Children often bring the infectious disease home from daycare — and pass it on to their parents, too. Children under five and seniors over 70 are particularly affected, writes Das Robert Koch Institute (RKI) (external link). The figures are collected using reporting data from the Infection Protection Act (IfSG).
Norovirus illnesses are therefore the predominant cause of acute gastroenteritis outbreaks in community facilities, hospitals and nursing homes. One-third of all nonbacterial gastrointestinal illnesses in children are caused by norovirus. In adults, these pathogens are responsible for half of nonbacterial diseases.
How can you get infected with norovirus?
Noroviruses spread through swab infections – that is, in the feces or vomit of sick people. One gram of feces can contain 10 billion viruses. Just 10 to 100 viruses are enough to infect a person. So a gram like this has a lot of potential. If you touch contaminated surfaces or clean up vomit from someone who is sick, you can quickly become infected. This is why hygiene measures such as washing your hands well the best way to avoid infection.
Droplets containing viruses that spread when you vomit, for example, can also cause infections. Direct person-to-person transmission explains the very rapid spread of infection within community facilities or at festivals – like in April at the Stuttgart Spring Festival.
Noroviruses also spread through food
However, infections can also come from contaminated food. Frozen vegetables and fruits, for example, are crunchy, fresh and very rich in vitamins., as it is frozen directly from the field. In addition to vitamins, noroviruses can also survive low temperatures. If norovirus contamination occurs during harvesting and further processing, it can spread through food. For example, infections caused by frozen raspberries are always in the headlines. A sick employee and poor hygiene are enough to spread viruses.
In addition to noroviruses, bacteria such as: Campylobacter, Salmonella, Listeria It is Ehc occur in frozen foods.
What symptoms do norovirus cause?
Noroviruses cause gastrointestinal flu (gastroenteritis). Violent vomiting and severe diarrhea are typical. Since the liquid is also vomited again, there is a risk of a significant fluid deficit. Additionally, you feel sick and weak and may suffer from stomach aches, headaches and muscle aches. A slight fever is also possible.
For most people, diarrhea with vomiting is extremely unpleasant but harmless. After two days, individual but very severe symptoms usually pass. Even if the symptoms are severe, there is no need to worry about the long-term consequences of an infection.
Who can norovirus be dangerous to?
The danger of vomiting and diarrhea is the loss of fluids. Young children and the elderly in particular dry out very quickly. In extreme cases, they have to go to the hospital under IV fluids. Therefore, you should seek timely medical advice for these patients.
Drinking water, increased hygiene, and bed rest are the only things you can do if norovirus catches you. There are no medicines! It is important to compensate for the loss of fluids and electrolytes – if in doubt, in the hospital.
How long have you been contagious?
What many people don’t think is that even when acute symptoms subside, patients continue to excrete the virus. Studies have shown “that the virus can generally be excreted in the feces for 7 to 14 days, but in exceptional cases even for weeks after an acute illness,” writes the RKI.
The risk of infection remains longer, so careful sanitation and hand hygiene remain important. Another reason is that the virus is very robust and survives on doorknobs and toilets for several days.
How can you avoid norovirus infection?
1. Pay attention to hygiene and wash your hands!
Only hygiene offers a certain level of protection against norovirus: after each use of the bathroom, especially in public bathrooms, after each purchase and after traveling on public transport, the following applies: wash your hands thoroughly – with warm water and soap.
2. In case of direct contact with a sick person: disinfect
If you come into contact with vomit or feces from a sick person, use additional disinfectant when washing your hands. Important: it must also be effective against viruses.
3. Wash patients’ clothes in hot water
Do not share patient towels and washcloths. Wash them at 60-95 degrees with strong detergent. This also applies to the patient’s bedding and clothing.
4. If there is norovirus infection in the house: disinfect the bathroom
The bathroom must be disinfected if a patient has used it. If possible, healthy family members should use a different bathroom – even if the sick person no longer has symptoms.
5. Protection against infections during cleaning
If someone is sick and has used the bathroom and bathroom, clean door handles, sink, toilet and floor thoroughly with rubber gloves and a face mask – use disposable wipes otherwise viruses will spread freely using cleaning cloths.
6. Avoid, if possible, contact with the sick person
In addition to the caregiver, other family members should have as little contact as possible with the sick person. The elderly and children are particularly at risk.
7. Don’t cook for others!
People infected with norovirus should not prepare food for others.