What is viral gastro-enteritis?
Viral gastro-enteritis is usually caused by a virus called norovirus. It used to be called “winter vomiting disease”, but it occurs throughout the year, and all over the UK. The main symptoms include vomiting and diarrhoea, which usually lasts 24-48 hours. Although the illness is unpleasant, most people make a full and speedy recovery. How does it spread? The virus only infects humans. The disease is able to spread when virus particles from an infected person gets to the gut of another person. This can happened in several ways: • Poor hygiene after going to the toilet • Virus particles spread in the air when someone has been sick • Virus particles can fall onto any object in the environment and be picked up by another person • Via contaminated food and water • Shellfish (e.g. oysters) from sewage contaminated water What are the symptoms? People usually develop symptoms 12-48 hours after contact with the virus. The main symptom is vomiting, but people may also suffer from: • Diarrhoea •
