The norovirus is highly contagious and causes acute gastroenteritis. It alters the intestinal lining, causing vomiting and diarrhea that releases billions of virus particles. Only a small number are needed to infect a new host. The virus is spread easily through contaminated food, water, and surfaces. It is resistant to freezing, heating and many disinfectants. Prevention relies on proper handwashing and surface cleaning. Norovirus causes around 21 million illnesses in the US each year.
2. Highly
Contagious
Diarrhea
The Norovirus alters
the intestinal lining,
causing cells to dump
fluid, which gets
washed out of the body
along with many, many,
many noroviruses.
http://phenomena.nationalgeographic.com/2013/01/02/the-norovirus-a-study-in-puked-perfection/
3. each GRAM of
feces contains
around 5 BILLION
noroviruses ready to
INFECT a new host.
http://jid.oxfordjournals.org/content/205/11/1622.full
4. but it only takes
about 20 VIRUSES to
establish an infection.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21876931
8. Tougher Than
Bear Grylls
Freeze, Cook or Clean
noroviruses survive
both freezing and
heating and resist
many common chemical
disinfectants.
http://phenomena.nationalgeographic.com/2013/01/02/the-norovirus-a-study-in-puked-perfection/
9. noroviruses
can SURVIVE on
surfaces for up
to 2 WEEKS.
Maybe even years in still water
http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/artful-amoeba/2012/01/17/misery-inducing-norovirus-can-survive-for-months-perhaps-years-in-drinking-water/
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0168160505005854
10. Rapid
Evolution
Limited Immunity
noroviruses are genetically diverse and
evolve rapidly. That means we’ve only
got a few months of immunity, and then
we’re fair game for another brutal bout
of projectile puking and diarrhea.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16343580?dopt=Abstract
12. Recipe for an Outbreak
1 car dealership
1 Infected toddler
1 baby changing station
Several Billion Noroviruses
2 big packs of dry paper towels
16 employees (12 sick)
Ingredients:
http://www.micro-blog.info/2013/07/this-is-what-happens-when-norovirus-sprays-from-a-toddler/
http://www.salahqutaishat.com/1/post/2013/07/the-st-hit-the-fan-at-an-auto-dealer-in-oregon.html
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23559462
13. Recipe for an Outbreak
Directions:
1. Bring an infected toddler to
car dealership and liberally
spray baby changing station
with feces. Leave the
mess for a dealership
employees to cleanup.
14. Recipe for an Outbreak
Directions:
2. Clean up the baby
changing station using only
dry paper towels. Leave
some infected feces (with
billions of noroviruses)
visible on the baby
changing station. For
additional outbreaks leave
the feces visible for weeks.
15. Recipe for an Outbreak
Directions:
3. Return to the meeting,
touch surfaces, handle food
and infect 75% of your
co-workers
18. Prevention
The best way to help
prevent norovirus is
to practice proper
hand washing and
general cleanliness.
http://www.cdc.gov/norovirus/preventing-infection.html
WashYour Hands
19. Prevention
Remove vomit or diarrhea
right away!
Use soapy water to wash
surfaces that contacted
vomit or diarrhea and all
nearby surfaces, such as
door knobs and toilet
handles
http://www.disinfect-for-health.org/wp-content/themes/disinfect/pdfs/NorovirusIncident_8.5x11_Eng_Color.pdf
Clean contaminated
surfaces
23. Prevention
Prepare a chlorine bleach
solution (or disinfectant)
Allow disinfectant to air
dry for surfaces unlikely
to have food or mouth
contact
Rinse all surfaces
intended for food or mouth
contact with plain water
before use
Disinfect Surfaces
24. Cleaning and
Disinfection Resources
• Restroom Cleaning Procedures
• EPA Approved Disinfectants
• Baby Changing Station Sanitation
Instructions
• Industry Cleaning Tips
26. More Common
Than the
Cold?
No. But...
Norovirus is the most
common cause of acute
gastroenteritis in
the United States
https://www.osha.gov/Publications/norovirus-factsheet.pdf
27. So What’s
the Big
Deal?
It’s expensive!
•21 million illnesses
•2 million outpatient visits
•400,000 emergency department visits
•70,000 hospitalizations
•800 deaths each year
http://www.cdc.gov/norovirus/php/illness-outbreaks.html
28. It’s more
common
than you
think
A.G.E.
(acute gastroenteritis)
•179 million episodes occur annually
•50% caused by norovirus
•NORS started tracking in 2009
•Most illnesses are not tied to a
reported outbreak (1/3000)
http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/19/8/13-0482_article.htm
29. The first identified
OUTBREAK was in 1968
at Bronson Elementary
school in NORWALK Ohio
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norovirus
30. That’s why it’s sometimes
called NORWALK VIRUS.
Norwalk virus is the species, where as norovirus is
the genus (but there’s only one known species in
the genus anyways).
31. Discovery
The 1968 outbreak of
gastroenteritis at Bronson
Elementary school in
Norwalk Ohio prompted a
lot of scientific study.
But it wasn’t until 1972
that Dr Albert Kapikian
discovered the virus
behind that outbreak.
http://www.niaid.nih.gov/labsandresources/labs/aboutlabs/lid/epidemiologysection/Pages/kapikian.aspx
Dr.Albert Kapikian
32. What Can
YOU do?
Report unclean
conditions
•Report unclean restrooms to management
•Wash your hands regularly
•Stay home when you’re sick (really, no need to
be a hero, let someone else finish those TPS reports.)
http://www.salahqutaishat.com/