Norovirus is a virus that comes from a bacteria found in food. The symptoms of this contagion are very common when it comes to a stomach virus. We are going to learn what norovirus is, where it is found, what are the causes and symptoms of this infection, how it is treated and if it can be very complicated.
Getting norovirus is much easier than many may believe, it is not simple indigestion or that something has made us feel bad. We are talking about food poisoning that can worsen, reaching a fever of over 38 degrees, vomiting blood, acute dehydration and very severe dizziness.
We have all had norovirus at some point in our lives and we have not known it, unless we read this text and realize that we have had it several times, and we may even have several more, especially if we are young and carefree.
As much as we protect ourselves, gastroenteritis lurks, especially in summer, as food becomes much more perishable. As advice, we recommend avoiding salads in poor condition, expired eggs, sauces such as mayonnaise and the like, fruits exposed to the sun or more than 2 hours out of the refrigerator, etc.
When we go to eat something that is already open, we recommend smelling it, looking at it carefully and trying it with your finger or suck. If that smell or taste does not convince us, it is best to dispose of it in the corresponding container.
What is norovirus? How is it spread?
It is a disease caused by an external pathogen called Norwalk that was discovered in 1972 in an outbreak of gastroenteritis in a daycare center in the United States. In addition, it is one of the main causes of gastroenteritis in the whole world, and that we have it once, it does not immunize us. We can get infected several times throughout our lives.
It spreads very easily and causes inflammation of the digestive system leading to acute and quite serious gastroenteritis in some cases with water dehydration, high fever, vomiting with blood, etc.
This disease is transmitted through feces or hands from person to person, but also on other surfaces. We are going to explain how we can get it, since as we have said before it is a food poisoning, therefore, this bacterium is present in many foods.
We can contract this virus by drinking contaminated water or of doubtful origin; contaminated food; using contaminated utensils; eating prepared meals and packaged foods such as tortillas, sandwiches, salads, and the like; when buying fruit that has been handled by different people and has been out of the fridge for more than 2 hours, etc.
Most common symptoms
Norovirus has an incubation period of between 12 and 48 hours , and the maximum that this disease usually lasts is 3 or 6 days. If vomiting and diarrhea last longer, it is time to see a doctor urgently.
The symptoms of norovirus are those of any gastroenteritis that we have suffered throughout our lives and of which we surely have to live.
- Vomiting without blood
- Diarrhea without blood.
- Sickness.
- Severe headaches.
- General discomfort.
- Soft spot.
- Dehydration symptoms such as dry mouth and throat.
- Slight fever.
- Abdominal pain and cramps.
If we make stools with blood or vomit with blood, we must go to the doctor immediately, in the same way that if we lose consciousness, we become very dizzy, our dehydration is high, we have a high fever (higher than 38) or more serious symptoms such as lightheadedness.
If we are dehydrated, our mouth will feel very dry, as well as our lips and throat; we will urinate very little; we will feel dizzy when standing or making basic efforts such as walking or sitting; babies will cry without tears, etc. Dehydration is very serious in these cases , since we are losing fluid at forced marches and we must replace it. When drinking liquid we must do it slowly with small sips to give the body time to digest it.
Treatment and how to prevent
Normally this type of virus is passed alone without medication, beyond a lot of hydration, preferably water at room temperature and small sips several times per hour or special pharmacy serum. You should stay away from sports drinks or isotonic drinks , as well as other drinks loaded with sugars or sweeteners. These types of drinks irritate the mucosa and intestines even more, which are already suffering enough because of the digestive virus.
The soft diet should only be introduced when you have an appetite and you have to eat very few amounts and the food has to be very light and at pleasant temperatures, neither hot nor cold. It is advisable to eat when you no longer have vomiting, and introduce the food very little by little to see how our body reacts. Having an appetite is a very good sign, but that does not mean that you have to feed them until they burst, that would be VERY counterproductive.
To prevent this annoying virus that can incapacitate us for up to several days in a row, what we have to do is not be near whoever is suffering from it, as well as not consume food that is already expired or in poor condition:
- Wash our hands frequently.
- Wash all food and cooking utensils.
- Do not drink water of unknown origin.
- No sharing a bottle of water or any other type of drink.
- Try not to eat prepared food from supermarkets, street stalls and the like.
- If we live with an infected person, it is best to wash very well all the surface it touches, the dishes it uses, the objects it touches, etc.
- Do not leave food out of the refrigerator for more than 1 hour.
- Do not defrost at room temperature, but do it in two steps, from the freezer to the refrigerator and from there to the frying pan, deep fryer, oven, etc.
- Do not buy fruits that are exposed to the sun or that have been in a supermarket for more than two hours and accessible to anyone.
- Change toothbrush, after passing the norovirus.
- Change the sheets and wash all the clothes you have worn.
- Do not kiss children or pets to avoid the spread and worsening of the virus.
