How fast does the stomach bug spread

Despite the fact that it's so common, many people don't know much about the stomach flu. That's possible because it has many other names, including stomach bug and viral gastroenteritis (its actual medical name). Viral gastroenteritis is commonly caused by norovirus, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). But it can also be caused by other viruses, such as rotavirus (especially in children), adenovirus, sapovirus, and astrovirus.

Confusingly, the stomach flu doesn't have anything to do with the actual flu, which is caused by the influenza virus—but it can feel just as bad. Between the vomiting and diarrhea and stomach cramps...if you've been there, you won't forget it.

Here are some things to know about viral gastroenteritis, including how long it lasts in adults.

Viruses have what is called an incubation period, which is how long it takes from the time you get infected until you may start to see symptoms. Symptoms usually appear anywhere from within half a day to a few days after exposure to the virus. But in some cases it can be longer.

If you've got stomach flu, there is a good chance it was caused by norovirus. Norovirus is the number-one cause of foodborne illness in the US, causing 58% of foodborne illnesses in the US each year, according to the CDC.

Norovirus is extremely contagious. It is usually what causes outbreaks in daycare centers, schools, hospitals, nursing homes, and cruise ships, just to name a few examples. If you are infected, you may start seeing symptoms about 12 to 48 hours later, according to the CDC.

Sapovirus, a virus related to norovirus, also has a fairly short incubation period. If you've got sapovirus, symptoms may show up anywhere from less than one day to as many as four days later, according to a 2015 article published in Clinical Microbiology Reviews.

Rotavirus occurs mostly in children. It has a longer incubation period than norovirus or sapovirus. Symptoms of gastroenteritis caused by this bug may not show up until about two days after you've been infected, says the CDC.

Another cause of stomach flu, astrovirus has an incubation period of four to five days, according to an article published in the journal Viruses in 2017.

Enteric adenovirus, the type of adenovirus that affects your gut, has an even longer incubation period of 8 to 10 days, according to the National Institutes of Health's StatPearls database. So it may be well after a week before symptoms might appear if this is what is making you ill.

When it comes to symptoms, they won't be able to tell you which of these bugs you caught. Even though norovirus and rotavirus cause more severe ones, the symptoms of stomach flu are all very similar:

• Watery diarrhea
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Abdominal pain or cramping

Less common symptoms include a mild fever, chills, headache, muscle aches, and tiredness.

However, depending on the type of virus, the order in which symptoms appear may be different. If you've been infected with rotavirus, you will probably start vomiting before you have watery diarrhea and fever, according to StatPearls. Norovirus also starts with vomiting and non-bloody diarrhea and can be accompanied by any of the other symptoms.

Sometimes you may not have any symptoms if you catch one of these viruses. If you do have symptoms, however, there is a good chance that they will go away rather quickly. People with healthy immune symptoms will most likely see their symptoms disappear within a few days, but people who have compromised immune systems may need longer.

As per the above sources, norovirus and sapovirus infections will generally clear up on their own within a couple days, although sapovirus may give you diarrhea for as long as a week. With astrovirus infection, the symptoms should go away within two to three days.

Rotavirus may leaving you feeling under the weather for a little longer. The symptoms can last anywhere from three to eight days, according to the CDC.

Enteric adenoviruses are usually less infectious than noroviruses or rotaviruses. But it may take a little longer for the symptoms to clear, up to two weeks in some cases, according to StatPearls.

Viral gastroenteritis is a self-limiting disease. Self-limiting means that you will recover on your own without the need for treatment. Your body's immune system will be busy fighting the viral invader to get you back to feeling normal. These types of diseases can also be said to resolve spontaneously.

People with compromised immune systems will have a harder time fighting off the virus. This is why their symptoms may last longer and why they are at high risk for developing complications.

There are also some conditions that may worsen your chances of a quick recovery. Aside from immunodeficiency syndromes, they include inflammatory bowel diseases, structural heart diseases, metabolic diseases like diabetes, kidney diseases, autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, and lupus, according to StatPearls. If you've got any of these conditions and develop the stomach flu, talk to your healthcare provider.

While there is no specific cure for viral gastroenteritis, there are some things you can do to ensure that you're on the right track to feeling well again soon. The most important thing to do is to stay hydrated.

Because you loose a lot of fluid in your body when you have diarrhea or are vomiting, you need to replace that fluid. But remember that you're also losing sodium, potassium, and other minerals (known as electrolytes), and they need to be replaced, too.

If you have a hard time drinking a bunch of water all at once, you may find it easier to take sips often throughout the day. This will help you from getting dehydrated. Dehydration can be a serious complication of the stomach flu and may require hospitalization if it is severe.

Sports drinks may help replenish the electrolytes. But the CDC says pediatric electrolyte solutions are better choices to replace lost electrolytes, nutrients, and minerals due to vomiting and diarrhea. (They are also good choices for simply staying hydrated, even when you're not sick.)

Dehydration can be particularly serious in kids, so be on the look out for this in children with stomach flu. If they're dehydrated, they might cry with few or no tears, have sunken eyes, and be unusually drowsy, sleepy, or irritable, per MedlinePlus, a resource of the National Library of Medicine.

If you think you, your child, or someone you are looking after is severely dehydrated, get emergency help right away.

Over-the-counter remedies that contain bismuth subsalicylate (like Pepto-Bismol) may help for simple diarrhea, says the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). Antidiarrheal medications may also help ease cramps, but healthcare providers don't usually recommend them if you have bloody diarrhea or a high fever, so be sure to check in with your healthcare provider before taking them.

Diarrhea and vomiting on their own are probably not cause for alarm, but if you see blood in your stool or vomit, call your healthcare provider right away, per the CDC. You should also seek help if you experience an extreme lack of energy, confusion, or an otherwise altered mental state, or a lack of urine (or dark and concentrated urine), which are signs of serious dehydration.

The CDC recommends seeking treatment if your symptoms aren't getting better after three days, you have prolonged vomiting that prevents you from drinking liquids, or your temperature spikes above 102 degrees Fahrenheit.

Aside from severe dehydration, other reasons to get medical attention are uncontrollable vomiting, blood diarrhea, and pregnancy. It's also important to see a healthcare provider if you have one or more of the medical conditions mentioned above.

Even if it is just the stomach flu, your healthcare provider may want to do lab tests. Getting lab tests done is the only way to know for sure which culprit is causing your symptoms.

Remember all those "wash your hands" signs in restaurant bathrooms? They're there for a reason. You can get viral gastroenteritis from sewage-contaminated food—like leafy greens, fresh fruits, and shellfish—or water, or from meals prepared or handled by an infected person.

The viruses that cause stomach flu all spread in the same way. They are often transmitted through what is known as the fecal-oral route. That means the virus can spread from feces (poop) to the mouth. In other words, if your hands are contaminated and you touch food that goes into your mouth or touch your mouth directly, you can introduce the virus to your system. But with proper hand hygiene, you can stop these viruses from spreading.

Norovirus can be found in vomit or feces and can even stay in feces for two weeks or more after you start feeling better, says the CDC. It only takes a few virus particles to make you sick, and people who have norovirus can shed billions of particles.

So wash your hands thoroughly. Prime times to wash your hands are after you use the restroom or change the diaper of a sick child, before you prepare food, and before you give medicine to yourself or someone else.

These viruses can also live on household surfaces like kitchen utensils, counters, and clothing. Take extra caution by disinfecting surfaces and carefully washing contaminated clothes or linens. You can even use gloves to handle soiled laundry. And remember to wash your hands with soap and water after touching surfaces that may be contaminated.

Young children's developing immune systems make it harder for them to fight off viral infections, and their smaller bodies are also at greater risk of becoming dehydrated.

People aged 65 years and older are also more prone to coming down with viral gastroenteritis and may need up to four days to recover, according to a 2019 study published in Infectious Disease Clinics of North America.

Anyone with a chronic illness, such as heart disease, asthma, cancer, or kidney disease, or who has HIV or is taking medications that suppress the immune system, are at risk of developing complications and should see their healthcare provider if they come down with the stomach flu.

When you stop vomiting and your diarrhea subsides, you're probably going to feel pretty hungry. But you may want to wait a few days before you celebrate with a feast. Overloading the stomach too soon may make you feel sick all over again. Skipping fatty foods and sticking to light, easy-to-digest meals in smaller portions will also help as you start to feel better.

Remember that if you do come down with the signs of stomach flu, they shouldn't last long. You should expect to start feeling like your normal self again within a few days. But if your symptoms don't go away or you have other health concerns, you'll want to contact your healthcare provider.

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