Stomach flu how long contagious

A stomach bug and food poisoning can be commonly…. It can be tough to drink enough water throughout the day, but dehydration can have consequences. For most healthy people, norovirus symptoms last one to three days. But for some, the virus can remain in the intestines for weeks or months, causing…. When the stomach flu strikes, it can be difficult to keep anything down, but certain foods may help you bounce back quicker. Here are 17 foods and….

Bacterial infections are common causes of gastroenteritis. Also called food poisoning, these infections are caused by poor hygiene or eating…. For some people with irritable bowel syndrome IBS , the stay-at-home orders may have offered relief from symptoms such as cramping, abdominal pain….

Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Contagiousness Causes Transmission Prevent getting it Prevent spreading it Home remedies When to get medical care Bottom line Stomach flu is a viral infection of your intestines. The stomach flu is contagious, which means it can be spread from one person to another.

Learn how long the stomach flu is contagious, how it spreads, and how you can avoid getting it. How long are you contagious with stomach flu? What causes stomach flu? How does the stomach flu spread? How can you lower your risk of getting the stomach flu? How can you prevent the spread? What are some home remedies for the stomach flu? What are the signs you should get medical attention? Read this next. Medically reviewed by Saurabh Sethi, M. Medically reviewed by J.

Remembering to wash your hands very frequently, especially after using the bathroom, changing diapers and before and after eating is the most effective way to decrease the chances that you catch or spread a stomach virus. If you have a young child, there is a rotavirus vaccine available to help prevent this very serious cause of severe diarrhea in kids.

Stomach flu has no relationship to influenza but is rather a term popularly used to describe gastroenteritis. Gastroenteritis is usually caused by viruses such as rotavirus but can also be caused by bacteria like Campylobacter and E.

Stomach flu gastroenteritis typically causes diarrhea and vomiting as well as abdominal cramping. Viral infections often manifest with fever, fatigue, headache, and muscle pain. Bacterial infections can sometimes cause bloody stools. Generally, the symptoms of gastroenteritis develop suddenly within one to five days of exposure to an infectious agent and resolve within a week. Stomach flu is usually spread by the fecal-oral route meaning the accidental ingestion of infected stool. This includes consuming contaminated foods or water, touching contaminated objects or surfaces, or coming into close contact with an infected person.

Proper hand washing and the regular cleaning of surfaces can greatly reduce the risk. The contagiousness of stomach flu can vary depending on the cause of the infection. Of the three most common causes:.

Call a doctor or go to your nearest urgent care center if you have gastroenteritis and:. Gas pain? Stool issues? Sign up for the best tips to take care of your stomach.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Prevent the Spread of Norovirus. Updated Nov. Updated May Graves NA. Acute gastroenteritis. Prim Care. Stuempfig ND, Seroy J. Viral gastroenteritis. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Updated June 24, Bacterial gastroenteritis. Updated August 11, Campylobacter campylobacteriosis : information for health professionals. Updated December 23, Updated December 1, Gastroenteritis stomach flu. Yes, viral gastroenteritis is contagious. People can reduce their chance of getting infected by frequent hand-washing, prompt disinfection of contaminated surfaces, prompt washing of soiled articles of clothing and avoiding food or water that is thought to be contaminated.

Persons who have viral gastroenteritis should not prepare food for other people while they have symptoms and for 48 hours after recovery from illness. The main symptoms of viral gastroenteritis are watery diarrhea and vomiting. In general, the symptoms begin 1 to 2 days following infection with a virus that causes gastroenteritis and may last for 1 to 10 days, depending on which virus causes the illness. There is no cure, however almost all people who get viral gastroenteritis recover completely without any long-term problems.

The most important thing to do for people with viral gastroenteritis is prevent severe loss of fluids dehydration. This treatment should begin at home.