Norovirus and reinfect ion

Nicki

We are all recovering from a horrid outbreak of the norovirus which has laid us all low for the last 3 days.

Now that everyone in the house has had it, does that mean we are immune from this strain or do we need to take any other precautions? Do we need for example to replace toothbrushes (this thought only occurred to me after I brushed my teeth this morning!).

Bedding and towels have all been washed but to be honest I am still feeling utterly wiped out and not sure I am up to disinfecting house from top to bottom but not can I face being quite so ill again whilst looking after 3 ill children too and a sick husband!

floss2

if it has been Norovirus (and tbh it could have been any gastro bug), be aware that you may all be ill again within about 36 hours of feeling better after this bout as that can be its pattern.

Noro is one of those that lives in your gut & can be reactivated again (and again). My DH has had Noro at least 3 times, I've had it at least twice.

If you or your OH work with children, disabled or elderly, you should not return to work until you've had 48 hours between any attack. Also, if you've been sick / runs for over 48 hours you should go to your nearest walk-in centre, just to be checked out, especially if your children have all been ill for the same time.

j.e.j.

I tend to just wipe things like door handles (which of course everyone's been touching!) and obviously the loo, etc, with very hot water and dettol. Hopefully that should help to prevent re-infection.

Nicki

floss2 wrote: »

if it has been Norovirus (and tbh it could have been any gastro bug), be aware that you may all be ill again within about 36 hours of feeling better after this bout as that can be its pattern.

Noro is one of those that lives in your gut & can be reactivated again (and again). My DH has had Noro at least 3 times, I've had it at least twice.

If you or your OH work with children, disabled or elderly, you should not return to work until you've had 48 hours between any attack. Also, if you've been sick / runs for over 48 hours you should go to your nearest walk-in centre, just to be checked out, especially if your children have all been ill for the same time.

There has been norovirus at both DD's school and DS's nursery, so I suspect more likely than not this is what this was. Not so good news that it might reactivate again after 36 hours though.

We have a disabled child (the first one to go down with it) but don't work with vulnerable groups. The kids have been clear for 48 hours and I sent them back to school today. I've only been clear for 24 hours but don't work. DH is still suffering and is off. Unfortunately we have builders in at the moment and one has just gone home early with it, and the other is looking a bit green, even though we haven't been in contact with them particularly whilst we were ill (they are fitting a new kitchen which is in the basement and we have no reason to go down there until the kitchen is usable as there are no other rooms there.

peachyprice

Nicki wrote: »

There has been norovirus at both DD's school and DS's nursery, so I suspect more likely than not this is what this was. Not so good news that it might reactivate again after 36 hours though.

It went through our house like wildfire a few weeks ago (don't know whether it was noro or just a bug)

No.1 son had it first, took 2 days to recover, was sick again 5 days later
No.2 son next - took 2 days to recover
Me next, took 2 days to recover, but I was vomitting again a week later
DD got it next, she was the worst, she got it on a Sunday morn, was better Tuesday afternoon, was vomitting again Tuesday evening, was better by Thursday afternoon, vomitting again Thursday evening.
OH got it last, he had it for 3 days but it was only diarrhoea.

I've never got through so much bleach in my life. I hope you're all better soon, it's truly awful when it goes through the family.

Fire_Fox

Soak your toothbrushes in mouthwash, you should do that regularly anyway. Norovirus can mutate rapidly so you are not immune, if you have had a bad stomach upset the balance of your gut flora will be disturbed (key part of your immune system) so you may be at higher risk of another bug. You might ask your doctor about taking a course of freeze dried acidophilus (probiotic/ friendly bacteria) capsules.

http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/Norovirus/Pages/Introduction.aspx
http://www.patient.co.uk/health/norovirus.htm

loulou123

I had norvo earlier this year (was Definately norvo as I work in a care home and it was tested and confirmed.)

The spread is SO fast, we had a resident return from hospital on a Friday, on the sat morning she was sick, but not badly so, we put it down to anesthetic in hospital. By 8pm that same day 90% of staff and residents had it! Within 24 hours all staff apart from 2 and all residents apart from 1 had it! Strangely tho my husband who was with me all night and slept in bed next to me (with me jumping out every 2 minutes!) Didn't catch it.

I felt so rough I didn't do a HUGE clean, but used bleach on toilet and some spray disinfectant on toilet handle, door handle etc, washed all bedding and clothing I'd been wearing. Think I replaced my toothbrush but only a few days later.

Not sure there's too much else you can do, as its a pretty nasty germ and fairly hard to guarantee you've removed completely from the environment (judging from what I learnt in an infectious diseases course I had to do a few weeks after!)