This is bad stuff - "US hit by new stomach bug spreading around globe"

[RKP5637]

http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/health/2013/01/24/cdc-new-version-stomach-bug-causing-illness/2nlYQKpSrh8rXLipvTZL2I/story.html

NEW YORK (AP) — A new strain of stomach bug sweeping the globe is taking over in the U.S., health officials say.

Since September, more than 140 outbreaks in the U.S. have been caused by the new Sydney strain of norovirus. It may not be unusually dangerous; some scientists don’t think it is. But it is different, and many people might not be able to fight off its gut-wrenching effects.

Clearly, it’s having an impact. The new strain is making people sick in Japan, Western Europe, and other parts of the world. It was first identified last year in Australia and called the Sydney strain.

In the U.S., it is now accounting for about 60 percent of norovirus outbreaks, according to report released Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Norovirus — once known as Norwalk virus — is highly contagious and often spreads in places like schools, cruise ships and nursing homes, especially during the winter. Last month, 220 people on the Queen Mary II were stricken during a Caribbean cruise.

Sometimes mistakenly called stomach flu, the virus causes bouts of vomiting and diarrhea for a few days.

[NRaleighLiberal]

1. Norovirus is just plain not fun at all....

Some years ago a food worker at the company I worked at came to work sick, with Noro - she prepared all of our team's lunches. Well, that night, 40 people all ended up driving the ol' porcelain bus (or making a decision which end to attend to)...lasted about exactly 24 hours. The company medical director had a nice little mystery on his hands (once it was noted our entire dept was out the next day).

And of course, each of the 40 of us ended up spreading it to most of our families.

Here in NC, they've already closed an elder care facility where my wife is caretaker of a woman due to a Noro outbreak. Yikes!

[RKP5637]

3. One of my friends almost died from it ... progressed on to other complications. n/t

[catbyte]

2. I think I must have had it in November. I'm 57 and I've never been so sick. Barfed for 3 days and I

welcomed the thought of death.

Ugh!

[War Horse]

4. Sounds like what I and some relatives got just after New Year's

Was feeling fine, returned from the gym, had a meal and was going to relax on the couch. Less than 45 mins. later I was sick as a dog.

48 hours later I was relatively fine, although quite dehydrated (could hardly keep any fluid down). That stuff hit really, really fast and hard.

[Aristus]

5. K&R! Especially for pointing out the "stomach flu" misnomer.

I hear that a lot in my line of work, and I'm constantly telling people there's no such thing. 'Flu' or influenza is respiratory in nature, not gastrointestinal.

No cases around where I live and work, but I may see an uptick in diagnoses of gastroenteritis soon...

[gollygee]

6. The norovirus has gone through the kids' schools every year the past few years

Not much fun at all.

[progressoid]

7. Narwhals?

Oh, never mind.