Many of us have been ill for years with stomach trouble:
VIRAL GASTROENTERITIS UPDATE 2004
Only posting news from stateside:
[2] Norovirus - USA (Northern Virginia)
[1] Rotavirus - Guatemala {Important due to illegals jumping lines}
Date: Mon 23 Feb 2004
http://www.washingtonpost.com/?referrer=emailarticle USA: Norovirus Outbreaks Reported Across Northern Virginia
Outbreaks of norovirus infection have been reported across Northern
Virginia, where officials say nursing home populations are among those
hardest hit by the gastrointestinal disease that can cause debilitating
vomiting and diarrhea. Although it is not typically life-threatening, the
virus -- perhaps best known for causing widespread outbreaks on cruise
ships and afflicting guests at the Hyatt Dulles in June [2003] -- can be a
serious illness for infants and the elderly, who are most at risk of
dehydration. Health Department officials said the virus, sometimes referred
to as the "winter vomiting disease virus" has struck across the state, and
the number of cases continues to rise.
In Northern Virginia, suspected outbreaks have been reported in several
nursing homes -- including the Fountains at Washington House, Goodwin
House, and the Hermitage in Northern Virginia, all in Alexandria. Some
managers at affected nursing homes have instituted quarantines to halt the
virus's spread. At one Fairfax County school, Terra Centre Elementary in
Burke, officials undertook a full-scale cleaning of the building after 50
sick children failed to show up Friday, and a norovirus outbreak was suspected.
But health officials said the seasonal ailment is hitting the state no
harder than usual. "It's not abnormal," said Lucy Caldwell, Northern
Virginia spokeswoman for the Virginia Department of Health. "It's as bad as
last year and what we expected to see." In Alexandria, health officials are
testing to determine whether the illness that affected residents and staff
members at 3 city nursing homes is in fact due to norovirus infection.
"We don't expect any confirmation before Wednesday or Thursday, but it has
all the signs and symptoms of norovirus infection," said Bob Custard,
environmental health manager at Alexandria's city health department. "It's
not confined to Alexandria. I've been told of 6 other nursing homes in
other jurisdictions" in Northern Virginia with similar outbreaks.
Nursing homes are easy targets for the virus, which spreads easily through
person-to-person contact, because they often share staff members. Residents
and staff members at Goodwin House West in Falls Church started reporting
virus symptoms on 11 Feb 2004. Before the suspected virus was contained by
restricting visitation on 2 floors in the facility, 81 people, including 34
employees, had reported nausea and diarrhea. "The good news is we're on the
other side of it," said Colleen Ryan Mellon, spokeswoman for Goodwin House
West. "We haven't had any reported cases in the last couple of days."
At Terra Centre, as many as 100 of the school's 632 students reported
symptoms on Friday. School officials said they knew there was real trouble
when 50 children didn't arrive for class that morning. By afternoon, an
additional 30 to 50 children were in the health clinic complaining of
nausea and diarrhea. Suspicious of norovirus infection, which requires time
for laboratory confirmation, health department officials asked the school
to conduct a comprehensive weekend cleaning, scrubbing down surfaces with a
bleach solution and even steam-cleaning the rugs.
Stephen C. Guptill Ph.D.
Senior Research Physical Scientist
U.S. Geological Survey
Reston, VA 20192
Guatemala: Outbreak of Diarrheic Rotavirus Disease
Over the past few weeks, Guatemala has reported to the PanAmerican Health
Organization (PAHO) the existence of an outbreak of diarrheic disease. The
outbreak began in January 2004; based on information dated 31 Jan 2004, it
has affected 28 255 people, of whom 17 032 are under 5 years of age.
Laboratory analyses carried out both in hospitals and by the various areas
of the Ministry of Health, as well as the Guatemalan Institute of Social
Security (Instituto de Guatemala del Seguro Social / IGSS) have identified
rotavirus in 15-60 percent of the samples taken.
During the first 3 weeks of the outbreak, the increase in relation to 2003
was 9 percent, falling to 4 percent in the 4th week. The outbreak has
affected above all the health districts of Ixcan, Peten Sur Oriente, and
Escuintla, but has also spread to Guatemala, Sacatepequez, Suchitepequez,
Quetzaltenango, San Marcos, El Progreso, and Zacapa.
Since the beginning of February 2004, the country has carried out
continuous monitoring of hospital admissions, which have averaged 250 per
day. This monitoring, along with declaring a state of national
epidemiological alert and strengthening information, education, and
communication, has resulted in a greater demand for care and subsequently
in the number of reported cases.
Prevention and control measures have been taken with regard to
strengthening surveillance of detected cases, identifying risk groups, and
increasing awareness among health-care professionals at all levels with a
view to the early detection and proper treatment of diarrheic syndrome and
dehydration.
In addition, there has been a review and strengthening of more structural
aspects such as intra- and intersectoral coordination, internal and mass
communication, and the existence of contingency plans as well as of
medicines and other supplies necessary to respond to this type of emergency.
Rotaviruses are mainly transmitted via fecal-oral contact. The virus is
stable in the environment and can remain viable for long periods of time.
This permits transmission from contact with contaminated surfaces, water,
or food. It is important for prevention and control measures to take these
aspects into account.
There is no specific treatment for the disease. 2 vaccines are currently
being tested (Phase III trials), with promising preliminary results in
terms of efficacy and safety. The principal strategy for dealing with such
outbreaks consists of minimizing the mortality caused by dehydration as a
result of the diarrheic syndrome. Approximately 1 out of every 40 children
with gastroenteritis caused by rotavirus will require hospitalization and
therapy providing fluids intravenously. Compliance with the
oral-rehydration standards set by the global WHO strategy for Integrated
Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI) is extremely important in these cases.