Recently, adults and children are increasingly suffering from intestinal infections. The main reason for their development are viruses, which are divided into several types. One of them is noroviruses. In this article, we will consider such a disease as norovirus infection: what it is, causes, symptoms, methods of treatment.
General information
Noroviruses and rotoviruses are the main causative agents of intestinal infections. Initially, there was no difference between these viruses, so the diagnosis was unequivocal: “rotavirus infection.”
In 1972, norovirus was first isolated, it happened in the USA, in the city of Norfolk (Ohio). In this connection, the first name of the virus was "Norfolk agent". During genetic studies, it was found that it belongs to the Caliciviridae family.
According to scientists, 90% of cases of non-bacterial enteritis worldwide are caused by norovirus infection. What kind of virus is this? Let's find out.
Mechanism of transmission
The main ways the virus enters the body are:
- food - when eating unwashed vegetables or fruits;
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water - when drinking liquids containing the virus;
- contact-household, when the virus enters the body through dishes, household items, unwashed hands.
A person infected with the virus is contagious to others during the acute phase of the disease and for the next 48 hours.
Norovirus infection: symptoms of the disease
The first signs of illness occur 24-48 hours after infection. Severe nausea, turning into vomiting, diarrhea, fever, muscle and headaches, weakness - this is how a norovirus infection manifests itself. Signs of the disease usually go away on their own in 12-72 hours. After recovery, the body develops unstable immunity to the virus - up to eight weeks. After this period of time, the person may again develop a norovirus infection.
What is it and how the disease manifests itself, we found out. Now let's talk about diagnostic methods and treatment methods.
Diagnosis
There is no special need to determine the type of virus. Because the treatment of such ailments, as a rule, is of the same type. If it is necessary to determine the norovirus, special blood tests (PFA or PCR) are carried out.
Principles of disease treatment
In most cases, if identifiednorovirus infection, treatment is not required, since this type of infection has the ability to self-limit, and the disease resolves without any complications. The main recommendation for this disease is the use of a sufficient amount of fluid to prevent dehydration. To relieve severe nausea or vomiting, medications such as Prochlorperazine, Promethazine, Ondansetron are prescribed. Severe dehydration requires intravenous fluids containing electrolytes, and critical situations require hospitalization of the patient.
Preventive measures
For any disease, including such an ailment as norovirus infection, treatment is always longer and more expensive than preventive measures, especially in severe cases. Therefore, everything possible must be done to prevent the development of the disease.
To date, there is no vaccine against this infection. Despite the fact that noroviruses are highly contagious, resistant and long-term viability in the external environment, the prevention of norovirus infection is elementary.
The following simple guidelines must be followed:
- Keep personal hygiene (wash hands with soap and water before preparing and eating food, after using the toilet, after returning from the street).
- Wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly, eat cooked foods.
- Use guaranteed safe water anddrinks.
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When swimming in pools and ponds, avoid getting water in your mouth.
prevention of norovirus infection
Additional measures
Norovirus infection - what is it? This is a very serious illness. Therefore, if one of the family members falls ill, hygiene must be carefully monitored. When caring for a sick person or in contact with objects surrounding him, hands must be protected with gloves, washed thoroughly with soap and treated with alcohol-containing antiseptics.
Wet treatment of all surfaces with which the sick person has come into contact should be carried out at least once a day. Norovirus has a high viability, so cleaning should be done with the addition of chlorine-based disinfectants.
The dishes used by the patient, as well as all washable items, must be boiled. Items soiled with vomit should be washed immediately at a temperature of at least 60 º. By following these rules, you can prevent further spread of infection and re-infection of people.
Norovirus infection: signs in children, treatment of the disease in childhood
As you know, babies pull all the objects they get into their mouths. And such a phenomenon is not so dangerous if it occurs at home, since the child plays with clean toys. But this situation can occur on the street, the playground, in the sandbox and other places. In this case, of course, no one will give guarantees regarding the cleanliness of the surrounding objects. That is why a variety of intestinal diseases, includingnorovirus infection in children is quite common. In addition, children are often in a team (kindergartens, schools, various circles), where any infection spreads quickly enough.
What should parents do in such a situation?
First of all, a child from early childhood must be taught to follow the rules of hygiene: wash hands more often, do not take food from the floor, and so on. Naturally, this will not protect the baby from infection, but will help to reduce the risk of its development several times over.
If a norovirus infection occurs in children, the treatment has its own characteristics, since babies dehydrate the body much faster than adults, which can lead to death. Parents need to be extremely careful and keep under control the condition of the child. At the first symptoms of the disease, the baby must be provided with a sufficient amount of liquid. For this purpose, fractional drinking is used. The child is given a teaspoon of liquid every 15 minutes. It is preferable to use such means as Regidron, Glucosalan, Humana Electrolyte. If these drugs are not available, mineral water can also be given, having previously released gas. The amount of fluid that a child needs to drink in the first 6-8 hours of illness is approximately 10 ml per 1 kg of body weight for infants, 50-80 ml per 1 kg of body weight for children after a year.
If the child's vomiting does not stop, and therefore there is no way to drink it, and even then the baby's condition worsens,call an ambulance immediately. In the hospital, experienced specialists will carry out the necessary infusion therapy.
Not the last role in intestinal infections is played by diet therapy. Therapeutic nutrition is a constant and important aspect of treatment at all stages of the disease. The volume and composition of food is influenced by the age, weight of the child, the nature of previous diseases. Rational nutrition is very important for the speedy restoration of bowel function.
Breastfeeding must be maintained even with diarrhea. Human milk contains epithelial, insulin-like and transformable growth factors. These substances help to recover faster the intestinal mucosa of the child. In addition, breast milk contains such anti-infective factors as lactoferrin, lysozyme, lg A, bifidum factor.
If the baby is bottle-fed, in the acute period of the disease, you should stop using soy-based milk formulas. Since diarrhea increases the sensitivity of the intestinal mucosa of the child to soy protein.
Children receiving complementary foods are advised to boil porridge in water. You can give fermented milk products, baked apple, bananas, carrot and apple puree.
Remember
Strict observance of personal hygiene rules and timely seeking help from a medical institution is the main protection against intestinal diseases, especially for children.
From this article you learned more about such an ailment,as a norovirus infection: what it is, how it manifests itself and what are the principles of treatment. We hope you find the information useful. Stay he althy and take care of your children!
