How is stomach the flu spread?

How is stomach the flu spread?

Stomach flu can spread from both handlers and preparers of food. For example, someone infected with the virus who works in a kitchen preparing food can spread the virus. The virus can spread from infected fishermen handling contaminated oysters as they harvest them. In fact, norovirus infection is an authentic plague on cruise ships. Gastroenteritis can be spread by poor sanitation such as eating foods infected by fecal materials.

Contaminated Objects and Surfaces

Touching contaminated objects or surfaces and then placing your hands in the mouth can result in contracting the illness. Failing to clean your hands properly after a bowel movement or handling dirty diapers can spread the illness from one person to another. The virus can be easily spread by sharing common items such as a computer mouse and keyboard. Other examples include touching contaminated doorknobs or stairways, such as in a school, which is a common public place where the virus is spread, especially in the winter. Because the virus can live on surfaces for days, it's important to wash your hands every time you use something that's also used by others.

Direct Contact

Being in direct contact with someone who has the illness can make you contract it. For example, when caring for someone who's sick, you can catch gastroenteritis. Also, sharing food or eating utensils with an infected person can result in catching it. Other ways to contract the stomach flu directly from an infected person include shaking hands or kissing.

Parasites

The stomach flu can be spread by parasites such as giardia and cryptosporidium, which are capable of causing severe diarrhea and dehydration. Often, water-borne parasites in underdeveloped countries having unsanitary water supplies can cause gastroenteritis. Travelers visiting these countries should drink only bottled water to prevent these water-borne parasites from infecting them.

Contaminated Soil and Animals

Viruses, bacteria and parasites can also be found in infected soil and in wild and domesticated animals. Some of the more noteworthy intestinal viruses that can be spread from animal to human or human to animal include the salmonella, E coli and Corynebacterium pathogens. Infection occurs when germs enter the stomach after first coming through the mouth.