Stomach Bug Encyclopedia (maybe triggers)

[SilentFrog]

Contains information some people may find triggering.

Having just finished writing the first edition of my Encyclopedia Of Stomach Bugs, I wanted to share a few entries with you here. Some information and statistics on the four most well known viruses that cause gastroenteritis. I know this might be triggering for some people, in which case I would advise you to stop reading here. However in my personal view, knowledge is power, it's better to know the odds of us catching something and what might happen if we do than let our anxiety make up these odds for us. For the full Encyclopedia, please see the source at the bottom of this post. All statistics are sourced from a variety of scientific literature and references are available on request.

Norovirus
Type: Virus
Prevalence: Very Common
Incubation Time: 12-48 Hours (average 36 hours)
Symptoms: D* (very common), V* (Children (under 1yr): 59% Adults: approx. 50%), Nausea (very common), Fever (50%), Chills (common), Headache (common), Muscle Aches (common)
Duration: 1-4 Days
Season: Winter (significantly less prevalent during warmer summer months)
Transmission: See Here

The first recorded outbreak of Norovirus occurred in a elementary school in Ohio in 1968, but it wasn't until 1972 when we saw the virus under an electron microscope for the first time and was able to identify it as a new 'species'. Noroviruses are categorized into different "genogroups", there are three different genogroups however over 25 different types of virus, or strains, the most common of which are known as GII.4.

The most prevalent strain of Norovirus is currently the Sydney2012 strain, named after the Australian city in which it was first identified. The CDC confirmed that this strain had spread to the United States in January 2013 and since then it has become the most common and infectious strain of Norovirus.

The Norovirus is highly resistant to temperature changes and can survive from as low as 0 degrees centigrade (freezing) to 60 degrees centigrade. The most effective way to kill it is using chlorine based bleach, however any hand sanitizer or disinfectant spray that has been tested to kill either Feline Calicivirus (FCV) or Murine Norovirus (MNV) should also work. Always check the label.

Patients infected with Norovirus are most contagious for 48 hours after their symptoms disappear. Although the virus can be shed in stools for up to 8 weeks, data from asymptomatic infections shows that infections occurring from stools are rare, and hence there is no need to wait 8 weeks before meeting or interacting with someone who has been infected with Norovirus, 48 hours is long enough.

For an A-Z list of the various Norovirus strains, please see here.

Rotavirus
Prevalence: Common
Incubation Time: 2-6 Days
Symptoms: D* (Children: 80.0%), V* (Children: 66.7%, Adults: 9%), Nausea (common), Fever (common), Headache (common)
Duration: 5-7 Days
Season: Primarily Winter (September-December)
Transmission:Fecal-oral

Named after the Greek for "wheel" (Rota) and most commonly associated with children aged between 6 and 12 months, Rotavirus infections can actually occur in children of any age - and indeed in adults too. In fact, virtually everyone will be infected by Rotavirus at least once at some point in their lives.

Infections in adults occur most frequently those who contract the infection from their infected child, or have close contact with children, although Rotavirus is also a common cause of so called Travellers D* in children under 5.

Contrary to popular belief, Rotavirus can infect adults and is not uncommon in this sense, although infections in adults are typically milder. Also, previous infection by Rotavirus does not provide immunity.

There are however two vaccines that can protect against Rotavirus, Rotarix and RotaTeq. Both vaccines are "live", that is to say that they contain a genetically modified version of the Rotavirus that expresses characteristics of the various strains (known as serotypes) but does not cause any harm to cells. As with all live vaccines, there is a chance that a vaccinated child will develop a minor and short lived Rotavirus-like illness after vaccination.

Astrovirus
Prevalence: Uncommon
Incubation Time: 36-48 Hours
Symptoms: D* (common), V* (rare), Nausea (uncommon)
Duration: 1-4 Days
Season: Winter (less prevalent during warmer summer months)
Transmission: Fecal-oral

The astrovirus takes it's name from the physical shape of the virus particles which can look like tiny 5 or 6 pointed star under the microscope, the Greek for star being Astron.

Infections are not commonly seen in adults, although of the adults infected, the majority tend to be asymptomatic (develop no symptoms).

Adenovirus
Prevalence: Children (very uncommon) Adults (very rare)
Incubation Time: 8-10 Days
Symptoms: D* (common), V* (uncommon), Respiratory Symptoms - eg: Coughing (common)
Duration: 5-12 Days
Season: None
Transmission: Fecal-oral

Adenovirus infections usually occur in children under the age of 2, and symptomatic adult infections are rare accounting for an estimated 1.5%-5.4% of gastrointestinal infections. The prevalence of Adenovirus infections in hospital settings is likely to be higher. Whilst the virus is transmitted from person to person, this is probably not a common source of infection.

Source: A-Z of Viral Gastroenteritis

[Leslie735]

Very informing, thank you for posting!

[jkl81]

Very good info.

[Elski]

Interesting about previous Rotavirus infection not providing immunity as it seems to be a reasonably common misconception on this board that adults rarely get it because they're immune due to having it as a child. I myself was under this impression. You learn something new every day Cheers for the info, Matt, good job!

[Saitamaop]

Thanks info good is

[SoVerySorry]

So... I always assumed that symptomatic Norovirus is always accompanied by vomiting... that isn't the case? And is it really as low as 50% amongst adults? If true, that really just added a huge sense of ease... I've been unable, or unwilling, to find any vomiting percentages so this did help greatly...

[SilentFrog]

Glad it's helped some people, and yes SoVerySorry, all the information is true. The Norovirus percentages are based off a number of studies which have looked at symptoms in Norovirus outbreaks so are fairly accurate. Norovirus isn't always accompanied by v*, in fact, up to 30% of Norovirus infections will be asymptomatic meaning that you will display no symptoms at all (no d*, no v*, no n*, no fever etc). So when you look at it that way, you could say that your chance of v* with Norovirus is just 35% statistically. Because first of all you have a 30% chance of showing no symptoms at all, so that's a 70% chance of developing symptoms. But then only 50% of that 70% who develop symptoms will v*, meaning you have just a 35% chance of v*.

In all honesty, the reason that figure probably seems difficult to believe is because the only Norovirus infections we tend to hear about (both here on the forum and on Facebook and the like) are the ones in which people v*. Ordinary people don't make a big fuss about d* so are less likely to post about it, just take a couple of Imodium and go to work all the same, and here on the forum, most people are more afraid of v* than d*, so will be more likely to panic post only if they have v* or feel like they will v* than if they have d* alone.

No matter what emet tells you, the statistics are really on your side with Norovirus

Hope that helps to put your mind at ease a little.

[SoVerySorry]

Oh it helped dramatically! Actually feel happy knowing this

[twigandfuzz]

Thank you!

[Anie]

Thank you for the information!

[SiMama]

Thanks for the info!