Viral Gastroenteritis Flashcards
Define viral gastroenteritis [1]
inflammation of the stomach and intestines cased by virus(es) and characterised by diarrhoea and vomiting
Who is more susceptible to getting viral gastroenteritis? [3]
- Children under age 5
- Old age people especially in nursing home
- Immunocompromised
Name the viruses that cause viral gastroenteritis, and who does it affect? [7]
-
Norovirus/Sapovirus (Calciviridae)
- can affect all ages and healthy individuals but often most serious in young and elderly
-
Rotavirus/Adenovirus/Astrovirus
- affects mainly children under 2 years, elderly and immunocompromised
How is norovirus typically transmitted? [3]
- Person to Person
- (faecal-oral, aerosolised e.g. by toilet flush, fomites)
- Food-borne
- Water
What are the typical symptoms of viral gastroenteritis caused by norovirus? [9]
- Can be asymptomatic
- Vomiting
- Diarrhoea
- Nausea
- Abdominal cramps
- Headache
- Muscle aches
- Fever (minority)
- Dehydration in young and elderly
How do you treat gastroenteritis caused by norovirus infection? [5]
- Symptomatic therapy
- Oral &/or IV fluids
- Antispasmodics
- Analgesics
- Antipyretics
Why is there no norovirus vaccine? [2]
- immunity only lasts for 6-14 weeks
- norovirus can’t be cultured
What infection control measures must be undertaken when a case of norovirus has been diagnosed? [6]
- Isolation or cohorting
- Exclude symptomatic staff until symptom free for 48 hours
- Do not move patients
- Do not admit new patients
- Thorough cleaning of ward/hotel/cruise ship/bus
- 48 hours after last case symptomatic
- With dilute hypochlorite or hot soapy water
- Patient/visitor/passenger/guest awareness
How is rotavirus typically transmitted? [3]
- Mainly person to person via faeco-oral or fomites
- Food and water borne spread is possible
What are the typical symptoms of rotavirus? [4]
- Watery diarrhoea
- Abdominal pain
- Vomiting
- Loss of electrolytes leading to dehydration
What are the complications of rotavirus? [5]
- Severe chronic diarrhoea
- Dehydration
- Electrolyte imbalance
- Metabolic acidosis
- Immunodeficient children may have more severe or persistent disease
How do you/can you develop immunity to rotavirus? [4]
- Antibodies against VP7 and VP4 and secretory IgA are important in immunity
- 1st infection usually severe but doesn’t lead to permanent immunity
- but subsequent infections less severe
How effective is the rotavirus vaccine? [1]
over 85% effective at protecting against severe rotavirus gastroenteritis in the first 2 years of life
What are the symptoms of adenovirus 40 & 41 gastroenteritis? [2]
- fever
- watery diarrhoea
Most of these viruses can’t be cultured. So how do you diagnose them? [2]
- All these viruses are detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) which detects the DNA or RNA
- Testing done at Virology lab, GRI
- Samples: vomit or stool
