NOROVIRUS

Norovirus in a Healthcare Setting

Norovirus in a Healthcare Setting

Introduction

Norovirus infection (norovirus) - an acute intestinal infection. The causative agent is norovirus - a variant of enteroviruses. The mechanism of transmission of the infection - faecal-oral, respiratory, and is not excluded. The virus released from a sick person with natural departures and other secretions, such as vomiting. Transmission routes: most - food (seafood are the most important), water (water, ice) and contact-household (Case, 2007). The incubation (latent) period of norovirus from several hours to 2 days. The disease proyavlyaetsyav as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, up to 8 times a day, a slight fever, symptoms of intoxication, manifested weakness and pale skin. He feels normal within a few days, but a person can be contagious up to 1 month after recovery, which causes contamination of the surrounding and the danger of an epidemic. There have been cases of death from this infection.

Norovirus is very contagious. Even the tiniest particles of dust from noroviruses cause illness (Goering, 2008). The virus is very zhiznestoek: wet cleaning with ordinary detergents and alcohol-based tools do not provide for their destruction, the virus is resistant to drying, freezing, heating to 60 degrees, only to die of chlorine-containing disinfectants. Norovirus infection affects all age groups. Norovirus is the most dangerous for frail persons, the elderly and children. Susceptibility to endemic norovirus, information about the appearance of immunity after illness - undetermined. Specific treatment and no vaccine against norovirus. Basic preventive measures include personal hygiene (washing hands thoroughly before eating and preparing food, after using the toilet, flushing of faeces in the toilet lid closed); Careful handling of fruit and vegetables, eating cooked food; guaranteed safe drinking water and beverages (bottled water, beverages in original packaging); bathing in ponds and pools to prevent ingress of water into his mouth (Greenwood, Slack & Peutherer, 2007).

Norovirus (originally called Norwalk virus», Norwalk virus), - it is the RNA -containing virus of the family Caliciviridae (Playfair & Bancroft, 2008). Approximately 90% of cases, this virus is causing outbreaks of gastro-intestinal diseases non-bacterial nature of the world , and in the U.S. is responsible for the occurrence of gastroenteritis in 50%. Noroviruses may be exposed to people of all ages. The viruses are transmitted by direct contact with patients and less frequently by the fecal-oral way through infected food or water. Do the ones who get human immune system usually is not produced until the end and is temporary in nature (Weston, 2008). There is an innate predisposition to infection, people with first blood sick more often , while the third and fourth blood group than to the pathogen voisprimchivy. Disease outbreaks caused by noroviruses are more common in enclosed or semi-closed institutions such as hospitals for chronic patients, hospitals, prisons, dormitories, and cruise ships where once the virus has appeared and the infection spreads rapidly from person to person or through contaminated food. In many cases, norovirus transmitted through food, it was worth only one infected person to touch ...