What are the symptoms of stomach flu. How long does stomach flu typically last. What are effective home remedies for stomach flu. How can you differentiate stomach flu from food poisoning and COVID-19. What precautions help prevent the spread of stomach flu.

Understanding Stomach Flu: Causes and Symptoms

Gastroenteritis, commonly known as “stomach flu,” is a condition that affects millions of people worldwide. Despite its name, it’s not related to influenza. Instead, stomach flu is caused by various viruses, bacteria, and occasionally parasites. The primary culprit is often norovirus, responsible for over 50% of cases, followed by rotavirus and other pathogens.

What exactly happens when you contract stomach flu? The virus or bacteria infiltrates your digestive system, causing inflammation and disrupting normal function. This leads to a range of uncomfortable symptoms:

• Nausea and vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Abdominal pain and cramping
• Low-grade fever
• Chills
• Muscle aches
• Headache
• Fatigue

How quickly do stomach flu symptoms appear? Symptoms can manifest as soon as 12 hours after exposure to the pathogen. The severity and duration of symptoms can vary depending on the specific cause and individual factors.

The Duration and Contagiousness of Stomach Flu

One of the most common questions people ask when struck with stomach flu is, “How long will this last?” The duration of stomach flu can vary significantly. In most cases, symptoms persist for 1 to 3 days. However, in some instances, they may linger for up to 14 days.

Is stomach flu highly contagious? Unfortunately, yes. The stomach flu spreads easily through the fecal-oral route. This means that virus particles from an infected person’s stool or vomit can find their way into another person’s mouth through contaminated surfaces, food, or water.

How long does the stomach flu virus survive on surfaces? Noroviruses, in particular, are notorious for their resilience. They can survive on household surfaces for days, which contributes to their rapid spread. This persistence makes thorough cleaning and disinfection crucial in preventing outbreaks.

Preventing the Spread of Stomach Flu

Given its high contagiousness, taking preventive measures is essential. Here are some effective strategies to reduce the risk of contracting or spreading stomach flu:

1. Practice proper hand hygiene: Wash hands thoroughly with soap and water, especially after using the bathroom, changing diapers, and before preparing or eating food.
2. Disinfect surfaces: Clean and disinfect potentially contaminated surfaces regularly, particularly in bathrooms and kitchens.
3. Avoid sharing personal items: Don’t share utensils, towels, or other personal items with someone who has stomach flu.
4. Stay home when sick: If you have stomach flu, stay home from work or school to avoid spreading the illness.
5. Practice food safety: Wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly, and cook foods to appropriate temperatures.

Differentiating Stomach Flu from Other Conditions

The symptoms of stomach flu can be similar to other conditions, making it challenging to identify the exact cause of your discomfort. Two conditions often confused with stomach flu are food poisoning and COVID-19.

Stomach Flu vs. Food Poisoning

How can you tell if you have stomach flu or food poisoning? While the symptoms overlap considerably, there are a few key differences:

• Onset of symptoms: Food poisoning symptoms typically appear within hours of consuming contaminated food, while stomach flu can take 12-48 hours to manifest.
• Duration: Food poisoning usually resolves faster, often within 24-48 hours, compared to stomach flu which can last several days.
• Affected individuals: If multiple people who shared a meal experience similar symptoms, food poisoning is more likely. If you’re the only one affected in your household or group, it’s probably stomach flu.

Stomach Flu vs. COVID-19

Can stomach flu symptoms be mistaken for COVID-19? While primarily a respiratory illness, COVID-19 can cause gastrointestinal symptoms in some individuals. Here’s how to differentiate:

• Symptom progression: With COVID-19, gastrointestinal symptoms often appear first, followed by respiratory symptoms like cough, shortness of breath, and loss of taste or smell.
• Fever: COVID-19 typically causes a higher fever than stomach flu.
• Duration: COVID-19 symptoms generally last longer than stomach flu.

If you’re unsure about your symptoms or they persist, it’s always best to consult a healthcare professional for an accurate diagnosis.

Effective Home Remedies for Stomach Flu

While there’s no specific medical treatment for viral gastroenteritis, several home remedies can help alleviate symptoms and promote recovery. Here are some effective strategies:

1. Hydration is Key

What’s the most crucial aspect of treating stomach flu at home? Staying hydrated. Vomiting and diarrhea can quickly lead to dehydration, which can be dangerous if left unchecked. Here’s how to maintain proper hydration:

• Drink clear fluids regularly in small amounts
• Opt for water, clear broths, and electrolyte solutions
• For children, use oral rehydration solutions like Pedialyte
• Avoid caffeine and alcohol, which can worsen dehydration

2. Gradual Return to Solid Foods

How should you approach eating when you have stomach flu? Start with easily digestible foods as your appetite returns. The BRAT diet (Bananas, Rice, Applesauce, Toast) is often recommended. These foods are gentle on the stomach and can help firm up stools.

3. Rest and Recovery

Why is rest so important when you have stomach flu? Your body needs energy to fight off the infection and repair damaged tissues. Get plenty of sleep and avoid strenuous activities until you feel better.

4. Over-the-Counter Medications

Can over-the-counter medications help with stomach flu symptoms? In some cases, yes. However, it’s important to use them correctly:

• Antidiarrheal medications like loperamide (Imodium) can be used by adults, but should be avoided in children
• Bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto-Bismol) can help with both diarrhea and nausea
• Acetaminophen can help reduce fever and alleviate body aches

Always consult with a healthcare provider before taking any medication, especially for children or if you have underlying health conditions.

When to Seek Medical Attention for Stomach Flu

While most cases of stomach flu resolve on their own with home care, certain situations warrant medical attention. Be alert for the following signs that indicate a need for professional medical care:

• Severe dehydration symptoms (extreme thirst, dry mouth, little to no urination, severe weakness)
• Bloody stools or severe abdominal pain
• Fever above 102°F (39°C)
• Vomiting that persists for more than two days
• Symptoms that don’t improve after several days

For infants and young children, be especially vigilant. Seek immediate medical care if your child:

• Has a high fever
• Appears lethargic or unusually irritable
• Shows signs of dehydration (dry mouth, no tears when crying, no wet diapers for 3 hours or more)
• Has bloody diarrhea

Long-term Effects and Complications of Stomach Flu

While most people recover from stomach flu without lasting effects, in some cases, complications can arise. What are potential long-term impacts of severe or recurring stomach flu?

Chronic Digestive Issues

Some individuals may develop post-infectious irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) following a bout of severe gastroenteritis. This condition can cause ongoing digestive symptoms like abdominal pain, bloating, and changes in bowel habits.

Lactose Intolerance

Temporary lactose intolerance can occur after a stomach flu episode. The infection can damage the cells lining the intestine that produce lactase, the enzyme needed to digest lactose. This usually resolves as the intestine heals, but in some cases, it may persist.

Malnutrition

Prolonged or recurring bouts of stomach flu, especially in children or the elderly, can lead to malnutrition. This is due to a combination of reduced food intake and impaired nutrient absorption.

Dehydration Complications

Severe dehydration, if left untreated, can lead to serious complications such as kidney problems, seizures, or even death in extreme cases.

Emerging Research and Future Treatments for Stomach Flu

As our understanding of gastrointestinal infections grows, researchers are exploring new ways to prevent and treat stomach flu. What advancements are on the horizon?

Vaccine Development

While vaccines exist for rotavirus, a common cause of stomach flu in children, researchers are working on developing vaccines for other causative agents, particularly norovirus. These vaccines could significantly reduce the global burden of gastroenteritis.

Probiotic Therapies

Studies are investigating the role of probiotics in preventing and treating stomach flu. Certain strains of beneficial bacteria may help strengthen the gut’s defenses against pathogens and reduce the severity and duration of symptoms.

Antiviral Medications

Currently, there are no specific antiviral drugs for treating norovirus infections. However, researchers are exploring potential antiviral compounds that could directly target these resilient viruses.

Improved Diagnostic Tools

Developing faster, more accurate diagnostic tests could help identify the specific cause of gastroenteritis more quickly, leading to more targeted treatments and better containment of outbreaks.

As research progresses, we may see more effective prevention strategies and treatments for stomach flu in the coming years, potentially reducing its impact on global health.

Have the Stomach Flu? 4 Ways to Treat Symptoms at Home

There’s almost nothing worse than being bent over a toilet throwing up. And, sadly, it can be hard to know what caused you to be there in the first place. Kelli Miller, ANP, UnityPoint Health, lists the symptoms of the stomach flu and how long it lasts, plus ways to feel better, so you can get out of the bathroom and get back to normal.

Stomach Flu Symptoms

Miller says it’s easy to get confused about the difference between influenza, or “the flu,” and gastroenteritis, better known as “the stomach flu.” The stomach flu is caused by a number of viruses, mainly norovirus, which accounts for more than 50 percent of all cases, and others, like rotavirus. Bacteria, such salmonella and E. coli, can also be to blame. Getting the flu shot does not prevent you from getting the stomach flu, but it does prevent you from getting influenza.

“Stomach flu symptoms include stomach pain, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea,” Miller says. “A low-grade fever, chills and muscle aches aren’t uncommon to experience as well. Symptoms can start as little as 12 hours after exposure.”

These symptoms can last anywhere from one to 14 days, and unfortunately, the stomach flu is extremely contagious.

“The stomach flu is spread by the fecal-oral route, which means the viruses from infected feces or vomit find their way into our mouths from either touching a contaminated surface and then touching your face or eating/drinking contaminated foods and/or water. Compared to other viruses, noroviruses can live for days on household surfaces, which is why they spread easily,” Miller says.

Stomach Flu vs. Food Poisoning

Miller says the clinical symptoms of the stomach flu and food poisoning overlap quite a bit, as you can have vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal discomfort and fever with either one. She says the easiest way to determine the cause of your discomfort is to look back at your recent history.

“If your symptoms are caused by food poisoning, they tend to occur within hours after eating something. If you can recall eating something questionable, or if others who ate the same thing as you and have similar symptoms, you probably have food poisoning. If you are the only one who got sick, you more than likely picked up a viral illness,” Miller says. 

Stomach Flu vs. COVID-19

To make matters even more confusing, some people with COVID-19 (about 20% according to studies) experience stomach issues including nausea, vomiting and/or diarrhea. Most people with those symptoms usually report developing them in the first couple of days and then go on to experience other respiratory or cold-like symptoms like fever, headache, cough and fatigue.

If you experience nausea, vomiting and/or diarrhea, keep an eye out for other symptoms that may follow. If you notice a progression in the illness, talk with your doctor about getting tested for COVID-19. Remember, if you’re feeling sick, stay home and continue to wash your hands frequently.

How to Treat the Stomach Flu at Home

Miller says there’s often no specific medical treatment for viral gastroenteritis. Antibiotics aren’t effective against viruses and overusing them can contribute to the development of antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria. She recommends treating the stomach flu with the following self-care steps:

• Keep drinking the right fluids. You’ll need to drink enough fluids to prevent dehydration. In addition to water, older children and adults can drink sports drinks, like Gatorade, Power Aid, while babies and young children can have an oral rehydration solution, such as Pedialyte. If your child is vomiting, you can try to give your child a few teaspoons of fluid every few minutes. Babies who breastfeed can continue to breastfeed. But, you should avoid drinks with increased sugar content, such as juices or sodas, which can make diarrhea worse.
• Eat the right foods. If you don’t have an appetite, you should resort to drinking only liquids for a short period of time. Boiled starches (potatoes, noodles, rice, wheat and oats) and plain cereals with salt are recommended, if you have watery diarrhea. You may also try crackers, bananas, soup and boiled vegetables.
• Avoid heavy foods. On the other hand, you should avoid certain foods until you are feeling better. These include dairy products, caffeine, alcohol, nicotine and fatty or highly-seasoned foods.
• Get plenty of rest. The illness or dehydration can make you feel tired.

“Adults under 65 years old with a new bout of diarrhea, with no fever or blood in bowel movements, can take medicine to stop diarrhea, such as loparmide (Imodium) or bismuth subsalicyclate (Pepto Bismal) for one to two days, if they’re not allergic to these medications. Children and adults over the age of 65 should check with their health care provider before taking any over-the-counter medicines,” Miller says.

As contagious as it is, keeping your family from catching the stomach flu can be tricky. Miller offers these tips to protect against the viral infections that cause gastroenteritis:

• Immunize little ones. Infants can be immunized with the rotavirus vaccine. This is offered at 2, 4 and 6 months old during well-child visits.
• Simply wash your hands. Wash your hands often to stop the spread of germs. Hand sanitizer works after being in public as well.
• Give your home the once-over. Use household cleaning products to disinfect surfaces and objects, like countertops, doorknobs, handles, sinks, toilets, computer keyboards and phones.
• Separate your laundry loads. Wash laundry of those recovering from the stomach flu in different loads than the rest of your family.
• Keep your distance. Try to keep your children, especially newborns, away from anyone who is sick. If someone in your family is sick, stay home and do not go to work, school or day care. You should be symptom-free for 48 hours before returning.

When the Stomach Flu Requires a Doctor

While most stomach illnesses pass on their own, there are cases when medical attention is necessary. Miller recommends watching for signs of severe dehydration:

• Increased thirst
• Dry mouth
• Headache
• Confusion
• Increased heart rate over 100 beats per minute
• Increased breathing rate
• Dizziness, including when standing from a sitting or laying position
• Passing out
• Fatigue
• Dark yellow or amber colored urine
• No urination within the past six to eight hours (during the day)

In addition to severe dehydration, Miller also says the following are causes for concern, and if you experience these, contact your provider:

• Bloody stool/rectal bleeding or blood in vomit
• Vomiting for more than 24 hours
• Fever greater than 104 degrees
• Weight loss
• Severe abdominal pain
• Prolonged symptoms lasting more than a week
• Are currently pregnant

Lastly, call your baby’s doctor right away if your baby:

• Has vomiting lasting several hours
• Hasn’t had a wet diaper in six hours
• Has bloody stools or severe diarrhea
• Has a sunken soft spot (fontanel) on the top of his or her head
• Has a dry mouth or cries without tears
• Is unusually sleepy, drowsy or unresponsive

If any of these symptoms are present, evaluation by a health care professional is needed right away, and IV hydration may need to be administered or possible admission to the hospital.

Norovirus

Category: Infections and Parasites

Topic: Viral Infections

Noroviruses are a group of viruses that can cause gastroenteritis (inflammation of the stomach and intestines) with diarrhoea, stomach pain and vomiting. Common names used for gastroenteritis due to Norovirus are ‘gastric flu’ or ‘stomach flu’, ‘winter vomiting’ and ‘viral gastro’.

Noroviruses are found in the faeces or vomit of infected people. People can become infected with the virus in several ways, including:

• eating food or drinking liquids that are contaminated with Norovirus
• touching surfaces or objects contaminated with Norovirus, and then placing their hand in their mouth
• small airborne particles from projectile vomiting
• having direct contact with another person who is infected and showing symptoms (for example, when caring for someone with illness, or sharing foods or eating utensils with someone who is ill).

Anyone can become infected with these viruses. There are many different strains of Norovirus, which makes it difficult for a person’s body to develop long-lasting immunity.

Norovirus illness can recur throughout a person’s lifetime.

People working in day-care centres or nursing homes should pay special attention to children or residents who have Norovirus illness. This virus is very contagious and can spread rapidly throughout such environments.

Signs and Symptoms: 

Symptoms of Norovirus illness usually begin about 24 to 48 hours after ingestion of the virus, but they can appear as early as 12 hours after exposure.

The symptoms of norovirus illness usually include nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, and some stomach cramping. Sometimes people also have a low-grade fever, chills, headache, muscle aches, and a general sense of tiredness. The illness often begins suddenly and the infected person may feel very sick. The illness is usually brief, with symptoms lasting only about 1 or 2 days, but can last longer. In general, children experience more vomiting than adults.

Treatment: 

Currently, there is no antiviral medication that works against norovirus and there is no vaccine to prevent infection. Norovirus infection cannot be treated with antibiotics. This is because antibiotics work to fight bacteria and not viruses.

Norovirus illness is usually brief in healthy individuals. When people are ill with vomiting and diarrhoea, they should rest and drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration. Dehydration is the most serious health effect that can result from Norovirus infection, and it is a particular concern in young children, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems.

Prevention: 

Noroviruses are very contagious and can spread easily from person to person. Both faeces and vomit are infectious. Particular care should be taken with young children in nappies who may have diarrhoea.

People infected with Norovirus are contagious from the moment they begin feeling ill. If your job involves handling food or beverages or you are a childcare or health care worker you must not return to work until 48 hours after recovery (i.e. until 48 hours after you last vomited or 48 hours after your bowel motions return to normal), as this is generally regarded as the period when people are infectious.

The virus can be present in faeces at low levels for several weeks after recovery, so it is important for people to continue to use good handwashing and other hygienic practices.

People infected with Norovirus should not prepare food while they have symptoms and for 48 hours after they recover from their illness. Food that may have been contaminated by an ill person should be disposed of properly.

You can decrease your chance of coming in contact with noroviruses by following these preventive steps:

• frequently wash your hands, especially after toilet visits, changing nappies and before eating or preparing food
• carefully wash fruits and vegetables, and steam oysters before eating them
• flush or discard any vomit or faeces in the toilet and make sure that the surrounding area is kept clean
• use a detergent and warm water to wipe down the area where vomit was present so that no evidence of vomit is visible
• thoroughly clean and disinfect contaminated surfaces immediately after an episode of illness using detergent and water followed by a bleach-based household cleaner
• immediately remove and wash clothing or linens that may be contaminated with virus (use a hot cycle in the washing machine).

Health outcome: 

Anyone can become infected with these viruses. There are many different strains of Norovirus, which makes it difficult for a person’s body to develop long-lasting immunity. In addition, because of differences in genetic factors, some people are more likely to become infected and develop more severe illness than others.

Norovirus disease is usually not serious, although people may feel very sick and vomit many times a day. Most people get better within 1 or 2 days, and they have no long-term health effects related to their illness.

Sometimes people are unable to drink enough liquids to replace the liquids they lost because of vomiting and diarrhoea. These people can become dehydrated and may need special medical attention. This problem with dehydration is usually only seen among the very young, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems. There is no evidence to suggest that an infected person can become a long-term carrier of Norovirus.

Other resources: 

• Clean Up for Gastroenteritis Outbreak Prevention (PDF 716KB)

Help and assistance: 

For further information, please contact your local doctor, community health centre or nearest public health unit, or contact the Queensland Health information line 13HEALTH (13 432584).

If you are in an emergency situation, call 000

Diarrhea due to coronavirus infection

Those infected with coronavirus often “suffer in the stomach” when there may not be other manifestations of covid. Gastroenterologist Victoria Malozemova explained how the virus enters the gastrointestinal tract, whether it is possible to check what it has damaged, and then fix it all.

– Victoria Anatolyevna, Rospotrebnadzor reported that the gastrointestinal tract, like the upper respiratory tract, is the entrance gate for the coronavirus. How does it pass through a natural powerful barrier to harmful microorganisms – the stomach?

— On the mucosa of the gastrointestinal tract, as well as on the bronchi, there are specific receptors that are sensitive to coronavirus, this is already an established fact. They are found in the stomach, duodenum, and rectum. Nature has created barriers in our body that protect against the effects of foreign agents such as viruses and bacteria. For example, protective immunoglobulins work on the oral mucosa, then, getting into the stomach, the virus meets with gastric juice, which is a rather aggressive acidic environment.

Our defense mechanism can be weakened due to chronic diseases (not only of the gastrointestinal tract), against the background of taking drugs that reduce the protective barrier of the mucous membranes, against the background of stress, chronic fatigue, malnutrition.

For example, in patients with chronic stomach diseases, the acidity of the gastric juice decreases, which leads to a weakening of the defense against the penetration of viruses.

In gastroenterology, this is called a hypoacid or anacid state. The virus binds to receptors on the gastrointestinal mucosa and causes increased epithelial permeability syndrome: normally, our epithelial cells in the mucosa are connected by tight junctions, they prevent the penetration of dangerous substances and particles. The virus breaks these contacts, and the sensitivity of the mucosa changes – the work of the stomach and intestines is disturbed.

— How does “gastric covid” manifest itself?

– The leading symptom in this situation is diarrhea, followed by bloating, cramps, nausea and vomiting in prevalence. Both we in the hospital and our colleagues in the country and abroad are seeing that diarrhea is becoming one of the leading symptoms of covid. We have had patients with severe diarrhea that is difficult to treat, they have had a colonoscopy (visual examination of the bowel with an endoscope) to see what is going on. We found erosive and ulcerative lesions of the stomach and intestines, which are caused by the virus. In some, they may become the first manifestation of the disease, in others they occur later, in others they become a consequence of exposure to drugs used in treatment.

— And if a person suffers from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), how can he understand why he is vilifying: because of his chronic illness or because of infection with the coronavirus?

– Only for PCR testing for coronavirus. But in the hospital, we see such exacerbations caused by the coronavirus. I mean, it’s all connected. There are also combinations of coronavirus with other serious autoimmune intestinal diseases: ulcerative colitis (NUC), Crohn’s disease.

— Why are changes most often detected during and after covid in the duodenum?

— Because the duodenum is part of the small intestine, and, as I said, there are many receptors in it that the coronavirus can contact. A complete examination of the intestine is rarely done – a colonoscopy is sent in extreme cases, and a duodenal 12 can be examined for FGDS. But if we see erosive changes in the duodenum with coronavirus, we can assume that there are also such changes in the entire intestine.

— Is it true that when the manifestations of the disease begin with the gastrointestinal tract, then there is a great chance that it will proceed relatively easily – without a threat to life.

– True, if the virus involved only the intestines in the pathological process. The problem is that most often the liver suffers in parallel. Her defeat is usually manifested by nausea, bitterness in the mouth, vomiting of bile. But often with a coronavirus infection, it happens that these symptoms are absent, and we see the lesion by laboratory parameters.

— Is that why those who undergo medical examination after suffering COVID are prescribed a biochemical blood test for the so-called liver indicators — ALT and AST? Why are they examined six months after the illness?

— When a patient is admitted to the hospital, a complete biochemical study is performed, including liver parameters. And when they are discharged, we check them again and prescribe the necessary medications. And in outpatient treatment, this study is not included in the clinical recommendations, so it is carried out if the patient has specific complaints. To be honest, I would recommend doing such a study either during the period of illness, or immediately after receiving a negative test.

The liver is a kind of blood depot, in which it is filtered, as it were, all viral particles that enter the blood pass through it. In addition, in the liver there is an extensive network of capillaries that the virus and its toxins infect (this is a feature of the coronavirus, we do not see such changes in the liver with ordinary SARS or influenza). And the analysis of liver parameters demonstrates how intense the process of intoxication caused by the coronavirus is. And if they are not normal, then the inflammatory process continues against the background of toxicological effects.

— What to do if the indicators exceed the norm?

– There are agents that protect the mucosa and promote its healing when there are ulcers or erosions. And there are medications recommended to correct liver values. Usually, if a person sees a doctor on time and fulfills his appointments, the condition will normalize, but this may not happen quickly.

– How to understand if the stomach hurts because the coronavirus has broken it, or because of taking medications that are prescribed for covid?

– If this is a treatment for mild to moderate coronavirus, then the treatment regimens do not include antibacterial drugs or others that can lead to diarrhea and other symptoms. Therefore, we can say for sure that these are manifestations of the coronavirus influence. And if pneumonia joins, which cannot be dealt with immediately, antibiotics and other medicines are prescribed. Then we really cannot determine what is primary, but this is not important – the symptoms indicate that the gastrointestinal tract is suffering, there is drug-induced liver damage, and we prescribe complex therapy.

Interviewed by correspondent Irina Baglikova, Fontanka.ru. Enterovirus infection

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09/18/2017

Enterovirus infection is a multiple group of acute infectious diseases that can affect children and adults when infected with viruses of the Enterovirus genus. The insidiousness of the causative agents of enterovirus infection is that they can cause various forms of clinical manifestations, from mild malaise to serious damage to the central nervous system. With the development of an enterovirus infection, the symptoms are characterized by a feverish state and a wide variety of other signs caused by damage to the respiratory system, gastrointestinal tract, kidneys, central nervous system and other organs.

How the infection spreads:

The main route of transmission of enterovirus infection is considered fecal-oral .
Contact-household , through household items, contaminated hands, if personal hygiene is not observed.
Airborne if the pathogen multiplies in the respiratory tract, when coughing, sneezing.
Waterway – infection can occur when vegetables and fruits are irrigated with contaminated sewage, as well as when swimming in open contaminated water bodies, according to some reports, even water in coolers is a source of enterovirus infection.
If a pregnant woman is infected with an enterovirus infection, a vertical route of the pathogen’s transmission to the child is also possible.

Enterovirus infection is characterized by summer-autumn seasonality, a person has a very high natural susceptibility, and after the illness, type-specific immunity is maintained for several years.
The incubation period of any enteroviral infections is no more than 2-7 days.

All diseases that can be caused by enteroviruses according to the severity of the inflammatory process can be conditionally divided into 2 groups:0089 Serious diseases
These include acute paralysis, hepatitis, serous meningitis in children and adults, pericarditis, myocarditis, neonatal septic-like diseases, any chronic infections in HIV-infected people (HIV infection: symptoms, stages).
Less severe diseases
Conjunctivitis, three-day fever without rash or with rash, herpangina, vesicular pharyngitis, pleurodynia, uveitis, gastroenteritis. Enterovirus D68 may present with severe cough and bronchopulmonary obstruction.

Symptoms:

Signs of SARS . Children develop perspiration, sore throat, sometimes runny nose, cough, fever. The temperature is high at the first stages, then decreases and after 2-3 days it jumps sharply again. This phenomenon is called “enterovirus fever”. It lasts, as a rule, 3 days, the child will feel unwell. During this period, diarrhea, vomiting, nausea sometimes appear, which can stop abruptly.

Rash . This manifestation of the disease is called “exanthema”. A rash appears on the second day after the temperature rises. As a rule, it is localized on the neck, legs, arms, face, back, chest. Outwardly, it looks like small red dots on the skin, identical to the manifestation of measles. Sometimes the rash is localized in the mouth, throat, looks like bubbles filled with liquid, which then turn into sores.

Muscle pain . Enterovirus infection in some cases affects muscle tissue. It is localized more often in the chest, abdomen, much less often in the back, arms, legs. Deterioration of the condition is manifested by movement, the pain has a paroxysmal character. The duration can be several minutes and up to half an hour. If you do not start timely therapy, muscle pain will become chronic.

Diarrhea, vomiting. Often manifested in children under 2 years of age when the body is affected by an enterovirus infection. Sometimes the symptom is accompanied by bloating, pain. Diarrhea can last for several days. The main task of parents during this period is to restore fluid deficiency in time.

Additional symptoms of enterovirus infection:
drowsiness, lethargy;
abdominal pain;
loss of appetite;
swelling of the extremities;
general malaise;
dehydration;
conjunctivitis, redness of the eyes, lacrimation;
enlargement of the lymph nodes.

In healthy adults with strong immunity, enterovirus infection cannot develop to severe pathological processes, and most often it is generally asymptomatic, which cannot be said about small children, especially newborns and adults weakened by other diseases, such as HIV infection, oncological diseases, tuberculosis.

To prevent the disease of enterovirus infection, it is necessary to observe preventive measures:

Use guaranteed safe water and drinks (boiled water and drinks in factory packaging).
Eat foods that have been heat treated.
Thoroughly wash fruits and vegetables with safe water and then rinse with boiling water.
When swimming in ponds and pools, do not allow water to enter the oral cavity.
Follow the basic rules of personal hygiene.
You should avoid visiting mass events, places with a large number of people (public transport, cinemas, etc.).
Wet cleaning of residential premises is recommended at least 2 times a day, ventilation of premises.