Norovirus: know the symptoms and see how to prevent it – 01/02/2023 – Health

The main cause of the outbreak of diarrhea in Santa Catarina this summer, the norovirus has a high capacity for proliferation. Its transmission is via the fecal-oral route, that is, through the ingestion of contaminated water and food and contact with infected people, especially through the hands.

The main symptoms are diarrhea and vomiting, which may be accompanied by nausea, low fever, body aches and prostration. Manifestations vary according to the characteristics of each individual and generally appear in the first days after infection.

The hot days of the season are conducive to the circulation not only of norovirus, but also of rotavirus and adenovirus, which also cause gastrointestinal conditions. In the beach environment there is greater carelessness with hygiene and meals, but experts point out that contamination occurs anywhere.

The main way to avoid norovirus is to intensify hygiene care.

“Many of the infectious agents can remain on surfaces. If I put my hand on the handrail, on the table, in a place where someone with the disease also placed [as mãos], these infectious agents stick to my hand. And her contact with her face, eyes and mouth is a form of infection”, says doctor Marcelo Otsuka, vice-president of the Department of Infectious Diseases of the Sociedade Paulista de Pediatria and coordinator of the Committee of Pediatric Infectious Diseases of the Brazilian Society of Infectious Diseases.

“Hand hygiene should be redoubled and more intense if the person has diarrhea. They cannot, for example, handle food. And in this case, gel alcohol is not as effective as it is against other viruses, because the norovirus has a lipid layer”, adds Carlos Magno Fortaleza, president of the São Paulo Society of Infectology.

Norovirus is not the most serious cause of viral diarrhea, but it deserves attention from people with immunological deficiency, in addition to children and the elderly, who are very vulnerable to dehydration.

symptoms of norovirus

• Diarrhea
• vomit
• nausea
• low fever
• Prostration
• Abdominal pain
• Body pain

prevention tips

• Wash your hands frequently with soap and water
• Drink plenty of filtered water from a safe source
• Do not consume ice of unknown origin
• On the beach and in bars, avoid scratch cards and bags, due to the constant manipulation of ice
• Do not consume food of unknown origin, out of date and with deteriorated packaging
• Avoid raw or undercooked food, especially at the beach
• Avoid peeled or damaged fruits and vegetables
• Do not visit unsuitable beaches, not even to stay on the sand

Treatment

In case of infection, care with nutrition and hydration are the best remedies, say experts. “Water and homemade whey. The advantage of homemade whey is that it contains sodium and sugar, which in the intestinal membrane facilitate the absorption of water”, says Fortaleza.

In general, the use of medication to cut vomiting and diarrhea is not recommended, but each case must be evaluated in its particularity.

“Whenever possible, it’s interesting to have your doctor’s guidance. In situations with a lot of vomiting, in which the person cannot eat, especially young children or the elderly, the chance of walking towards dehydration is great”, says Otsuka. “But most of the time it’s a peaceful picture [de norovírus]in which a simple guidance can help.”

The reconstitution of intestinal flora, in turn, helps with recovery, but does not combat diarrhea. “It is valid, it has been advocated, but there are situations in which replacement should not be performed, as in the case of cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy”, warns Otsuka.

To combat the proliferation of the virus, the infected must stay at home, away from public places and crowds. “It’s not a respiratory isolation like that of Covid-19, but a distance to cut the transmission chain. It already helps a lot”, says Fortaleza.