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Causes
By Mayo Clinic staffYou're most likely to contract viral gastroenteritis when you eat or drink contaminated food or water, or if you share utensils, towels or food with someone who's infected.
Some shellfish, especially raw or undercooked oysters, can make you sick. Contaminated drinking water also can cause viral diarrhea. But in many cases, the virus is passed through the fecal-oral route — that is, someone with the virus handles food you eat without washing his or her hands after using the bathroom.
A number of viruses can be the cause of gastroenteritis, including:
- Rotavirus. This is the most common cause of infectious diarrhea in infants and children worldwide — it's also a leading cause of death among children. Every year, thousands of children are hospitalized with complications of the infection. Your child is likely to have rotavirus at least once before age 5. Children are usually infected when they put their fingers or other objects contaminated with the virus into their mouths.
Adults who are infected with rotavirus usually don't develop symptoms, but can still spread the illness. Some people, particularly those in institutional settings, may spread the virus even though they don't have any symptoms of illness themselves.
A vaccine against rotaviral gastroenteritis is available in some countries, including the United States, and appears to be effective in preventing severe symptoms. Talk to your doctor about whether to immunize your child.
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Noroviruses. There are many different strains of noroviruses, including Norwalk virus, that all cause similar symptoms. In addition to diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, you may experience muscle aches, headache, fatigue and low-grade fever.
Both children and adults are affected by noroviruses. Norovirus infection can sweep through families and communities. It's especially likely to spread among people in confined spaces. In most cases you pick up the virus from contaminated food or water, although person-to-person transmission also is possible.
After exposure to the virus, you're likely to feel sick within 18 to 72 hours. Most people feel better in a day or two, but you're still contagious for at least three days — and up to two weeks — after you've recovered.
- Parashar UD, et al. Viral gastroenteritis. In: Fauci AS, et al. Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine. 17th ed. New York, N.Y.: McGraw-Hill Medical; 2008. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aid=2895854. Accessed April 15, 2009.
- Viral gastroenteritis. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/revb/gastro/faq.htm. Accessed April 15, 2009.
- Bresee J. Viral gastroenteritis. In: Long SS, et al. Principles and Practice of Pediatric Infectious Diseases. 3rd ed. New York, N.Y.: Churchill Livingstone; 2008. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/132204794-2/0/1679/64.html?tocnode=55241342&fromURL=64.html#4-u1.0-B978-0-443-06687-0..50063-1_1351. Accessed April 15, 2009.
- Viral gastroenteritis. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/viralgastroenteritis/index.htm. Accessed April 15, 2009.
- Rotavirus (cause of severe diarrhea). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/rotavirus/about_rotavirus.htm. Accessed April 15, 2009.
- Norovirus: Q&A. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/revb/gastro/norovirus-qa.htm. Accessed April 15, 2009.
- Rotavirus. Nemours Foundation. http://kidshealth.org/parent/infections/bacterial_viral/rotavirus.html. Accessed April 15, 2009.
- Vomiting. Nemours Foundation. http://kidshealth.org/parent/firstaid_safe/emergencies/vomit.html. Accessed April 15, 2009.
