How To Outsmart The Stealthy Stomach Bug | CommonHealth

How To Outsmart The Stealthy Stomach Bug | CommonHealth

According to the CDC, norovirus causes over 20 million cases of viral gastroenteritis every year. About a quarter of those cases come from contact with contaminated food (often due to insufficient hand washing before preparing food). With nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea as the most popular symptoms, 1 in 15 Americans will be spending far more time in the bathroom than they’d like.

How do noroviruses spread?
The norovirus (winter vomiting bug) enters through the mouth, multiplies in the body, and is passed in the highly infectious stool or vomit of an infected person. Food associated outbreaks have been linked to cold prepared, ready-to-eat foods (e.g., salads, coleslaw, sandwiches or desserts), fresh produce (vegetable, fruits and shellfish) and shellfish harvested in contaminated waters. Outbreaks have also been associated with drinking water and recreational water (e.g., swimming ponds and beaches) where persons may have ingested water contaminated with fecal matter from an infected person. Direct person-to-person contact or environmental contamination (e.g., exposure to areas where fecal accidents or vomiting has occurred) may also be a route of transmission.