Ames Iowa Special Olympics: Norovirus Outbreak
Pritzker | Ruohonen, a leader in the area of food poisoning lawsuits, is monitoring a possible Norovirus outbreak at the Ames, Iowa, Special Olympics. According to a story in the Des Moines Register, health officials are still unsure of the source of the Norovirus outbreak. Norovirus can be foodborne, waterborne, or passed directly from one person to another.
It is unknown how many of the more than 25,000 people who gathered for the Special Olympics USA National Games at Iowa State University in Ames were sickened by Norovirus. At least 50 were reported ill and as many as 10 were hospitalized.
According to the CDC, the incubation period for norovirus-associated gastroenteritis in humans is usually between 24 and 48 hours, but cases can occur within 12 hours of exposure. The symptoms of a Norovirus infection are vomiting, watery non-bloody diarrhea with abdominal cramps, and nausea. Low-grade fever also occasionally occurs, and vomiting is more common in children. Dehydration is the most common complication, especially among the young and elderly, and may require medical attention. Symptoms usually last 24 to 60 hours.
If you suspect you have Norovirus, you should see a medical professional and ask him or her to have a stool sample tested for Norovirus. It is best if the stool specimens are taken within 48 to 72 hours after onset of symptoms, although Norovirus can be detected as long as 5 days after the onset of symptoms. Norovirus can sometimes be found in stool samples taken as late as 2 weeks after recovery.
Noroviruses found in stool samples can be sequenced by microbiologists. This sequencing of noroviruses helps in an outbreak investigation by linking Norovirus cases to each other and to a common source. The sequencing also can be valuable evidence at a trial.
Sources:
- "Health officials handling an outbreak in Ames," Des Moines Register, July 7, 2006.
- CDC Technical Fact Sheet on Norovirus