Diary of an Outbreak
Posted By Chris on February 6, 2012
Here is a real example of just how virulent Noro Virus, the virus that causes Acute Gastroenteritis, can be. Visualize the chain of infection. This is a true story, in fact, it occurred in my own extended family.
Day one, A 20 month old baby girl (Sophie) in child care with 14 other young children 5 days a week, went to visit her Grandmother. During the 4 days of her visit, she also visited another family member with two children aged 2 & 3.
On day two of Sophie’s visit, she refused to eat and then suddenly began vomiting while in a restaurant. She develped diarrhea as well. Her symptoms lasted for about 12 hours, subsided and completely resolved the next day.
On the third day of Sophie’s visit, 4 adult women and the 3 small children gathered together at a Holiday Farmers Market. Remember, Sophie was now symptom free for 24 hours. They visited and spent the day together. That night 3 of the 4 women began vomiting violently; one had to go to urgent care.
On the fourth day, Sophie’s mother picked up the child and took her home; the next day she began vomiting violently as did her best friend who was visiting when the child came home.
The child had been symptom free for two days by then. From the time Sophie exhibited her first symptom, 7 people contracted the virus and were taken very ill. We can only wonder how many others were infected at the Holiday Farmers Market.
Three days after all members of the family were symptom free; an uncle visited and spent the day with the family. No one was ill. The uncle left, flew home, and while on the plane, became ill with the same symptoms; this was now 7 days after Sophie displayed her first symptoms. Noro virus is very contagious.
Think of hospitals, long-term care facilities, child care facilities, schools, cruise ships, anywhere where people are in close proximity to one another; they are touching, sharing, eating and ultimately, ingesting the virus. It takes very little time to find you are in the midst of an outbreak. Why? Because the virus is transmitted via the oral/ fecal route, meaning the virus is shed orally and through the feces/diarrhea.
We can’t see the virus, but we unknowingly touch the same surfaces the infected person has touched and then proceed to ingest the organisms when we put our fingers or hands to our mouth. Infected food handlers transmit the virus as well. CDC Noro Virus Transmission by Food Handlers
There may be a vaccine on the horizon but there are many strains of Noro Virus, much like the flu. CDC: Noro Virus and Vaccine
For now, the only way to prevent infection is by practicing scrupulous hand washing and even then, where children are concerned, it’s all but impossible to contain the transmission of these highly contagious organisms because children play so closely.
Adults may be able to avoid the virus if they are meticulous about hand washing and sanitizing the environment, but in many situations, attempts at prevention come too late.
Comments
Leave a Reply