Viral Gastroenteritis (Norovirus)

Complications /Information to beware of/General tips:

Medical Emergency Condition

And/or do not wait, phone for an ambulance if have or develop:

• Severe dehydration

Further Advice

• If one has this condition phone the medical doctor practice rather than visiting the practice as one may spread it to others.
• An infected person should stay away from work or school at least 48 hours after last attack of vomiting or diarrhoea.
• Symptoms of  vomiting should stop within 24 hours (if not seek medical advice)
• Diarrhoea can last from 1- 10 days (Medtick recommend you contact your medical doctor as in the symptom section).
• Fever, stomach pain, headache will usually clear from 1- 3 days (Medtick recommend you contact your medical doctor as in the symptom section).

• Ethanol-based hand sanitizers (60%-95%) are preferred to other alcohol- or non–alcohol-based hand sanitizer products during outbreaks of norovirus.
• Do not touch your face with unwashed hands
• Avoid close contact with infected people
• Avoid close contact with people who are already ill
• Do not share towels and utensils, dishes, drinking glasses
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces
• After an illness, clean surfaces that may have the virus on them with detergent and chlorine bleach.
• Don’t prepare any food for other people until at least 2 or 3 days after diarrhoea/vomiting stops.
• Don’t eat food that is prepared by someone who is ill with diarrhoea/vomiting.
• Stay home and away from other people when ill.
• How to wash Hands
• Diarrhoea advice

Future advise especially when travelling to an infectious country:

• Fresh foods: those that are peeled or cooked are the safest
• Avoid high risk foods like shellfish
• Boiling water is the best method of sterilisation
• Chemicals are useful for preparing safe drinking water but have their limitations
• Chlorine-based tablets are widely available and will be appropriate for most travellers
• More intrepid travellers and those planning to use surface waters as a drinking water source should use an iodine-based product.

• Iodine or chlorine used for water purification (as discussed later) can also be used for soaking and manufacturers of food products give recommendations for the appropriate concentrations.

There are three methods by which the traveller can prepare clean drinking water:

• Boiling:
  • Boil water for a full five minutes at any altitude.
• Chemical disinfection:
  • Iodine, chlorine, katedyne silver.
• Filtration

The Pharmaceutical Journal, PJ, January 2000;():DOI:10.1211/PJ.2000.20000218

This condition may show similar symptoms to:

• Anisakis
• Bacterial Gastroenteritis
• Blind Loop Syndrome (Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth)
• Cyclic vomiting syndrome
• Cyclosporiasis
• Menetrier disease
• Paragonimus
• Tapeworm
• Trichinosis
• Trichuriasis (Whipworm)
• Typhoid And Paratyphoid (Enteric Fever) (Medical Emergency)

Please talk to your healthcare professional (i.e. Medical Doctor/Pharmacist) for further advice