Gastroenteritis Health Alert

Saturday April 30, 2005. 4:30pm

The Thomas Jefferson Health Department has confirmed that the outbreak of gastroenteritis among University of Virginia students is from norovirus. Thus far, approximately sixty students have been diagnosed with this infection. This virus commonly causes outbreaks of vomiting and diarrhea in communities and on cruise ships. The investigation as to the precise nature and origin of the outbreak is on-going. The original source of the outbreak may be a common source of food and/or water in the community (not the University), but the outbreak is spreading rapidly to students who are exposed to others who are ill.

This is an acute self-limited illness that generally runs its course in 24-48 hours. However, this virus is highly contagious and may be transmitted both through person-to-person contact, as well as through contact with contaminated surfaces such as eating utensils, drinking glasses, toilets, sinks, door knobs, carpets, and even walls.

The most effective means of preventing spread of this virus is meticulous attention to personal hygiene such as hand washing and disinfectant cleansing of all surfaces in bathroom facilities after use by an ill patient. In order to disinfect and kill the virus, all surfaces should be thoroughly cleaned and sanitized with a disinfectant. The recommended disinfectant is freshly made bleach solution (one cup of household bleach to 9 cups of water). Contaminated carpets should be cleaned with detergent and hot water, and then disinfected with hypochlorite (if bleach resistant) or steam cleaned.

Students with severe diarrhea and unrelenting vomiting and/or dehydration should seek care at the UVa Hospital Emergency Room (924-2231) or Student Health (982-3915, after hours 972-7004).