Stomach misery has plenty of company

Wednesday, June 12, 2002 | 11:02 a.m.

State and local health experts say a wave of diarrhea, nausea and vomiting reported by some Las Vegas residents is probably being caused by a common virus that can be spread person to person or through food, water or air.

"What we're seeing are Norwalk-like viruses and they are common and very infectious," said Dr. Rose Bell, the Clark County Health District's epidemeologist.

The common virus -- named for Norwalk, Conn., where it was first identified -- is usually the culprit behind that green-under-the-gills feeling that spreads through offices and day-care centers.

The community misery it causes typically occurs as the weather warms up and people forget to wash their hands and eagerly dig into fruits or salads without washing or refrigerating the food, Bell said. The virus can also spread through sneezing and other airborne means.

In the United States, such viruses cause an estimated 23 million illnesses, 50,000 hospitalizations and 300 deaths each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta.

The Norwalk viruses typically make people miserable for up to three days then die off, so it is difficult for health officials to collect food or other specimens from the afflicted to track its spread, Bell said.

But the Health District managed to collect a couple of samples recently and identified the Norwalk virus family as the culprit, she said.

Las Vegas physician Dr. Frederick Lippmann said he is seeing two to three patients a day with the gastrointestinal symptoms.

"Usually we don't see any Norwalk after March," Lippmann said.

"We have been seeing quite a bit more than what we anticipate at this time of year," Lippmann said. "I wouldn't say it was an epidemic."

Some patients complained of nausea before diarrhea, fever and joint pains set in, he said. For most people avoiding dehydration is the biggest problem.

Drinking plenty of water will help lower the fever and keep people suffering with the virus from becoming dehydrated, Lippmann said. For some, bananas, rice or applesauce are comforting foods to eat. Those items all have pectin, a substance that will help the intestines retain water.

Symptoms can cause dehydration severe enough to cause sodium and potassium losses that could require hospitalization, Lippmann said.

So what is the best way to protect yourself and your family from becoming sick?

"You just want to use some good common sense," Bell said.

The first line of defense is to wash hands before eating and make sure children use soap and water before putting anything into their mouths.

If someone does become ill or runs a fever above 102 degrees for more than a day, call the family physician, Bell said. Doctors help the Health District trace infectious diseases by reporting clusters of symptoms.

State epidemiologist Dr. Randall Todd said the county Health District had contacted the Nevada Division of Health to find out if other areas were reporting similar illnesses. There has been no food-borne or other gastrointestinal outbreaks reported anywhere else in the state, he said.