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Posted By Denis Hands
We are writing a short training topic on the importance of personal hygiene. Could anyone with a medical background please advise me on whether gastroenteritis is contagious and if so by what means it is passed on.
Thanks in anticipation.
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Posted By Martin R. Bessant
Dennis,
This depends on what the causative agent is for the gastroenteritis.
The potentially infectious items will be the faeces and vomit from the affected person. If they are food handlers then there are safety implications from them handling food with possible contaminated hands hence the automatic suspension from duty.
Gastroenteritis can be either viral or bacterial and of various magnitudes. A bacterial infection called salmonella may require antibiotics and take several weeks to clear up. I addition some bacteria release toxins which cause the major problems.
There was an excellent programme on television about the body last night which delt with gastroenteritis.
Hope this helps.
Regards,
Martin.
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Posted By Andy Lucas
Denis,
Wearing my Infectious disease cap (EHO's do other things besides H&S) I can clear one thing up for you, there is technically no such thing as gastroenteritis. This simply means 'upset tum' but sounds more scientific.
There are thousands of different strains of Salmonella let alone other gastroenteritis causing bugs. In a sense they are all contagious because they 'infect'either by affected food, stools or poor personal hygiene. However because gasto bugs exist mainly in the gut there are few examples of gastro bugs infecting by aerosols from the mouth and so in that sense they are not contagious.
A good book would be Sprengers book on Food Safety published by the CIEH
Hope this helps.
Andy
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Rank: Guest
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Posted By Denis Hands
Gentlemen, thank you for your assistance.
Denis
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