Noro-Virus in the baby
Babies can get infected with noroviruses just like children and adults. The first signs of a norovirus infection in babies are restlessness, tearfulness and weakness in drinking. Mostly the babies suffer from vomiting and/or diarrhoea.
Babies can get sore quickly, so frequent diaper changes and skin care on the buttocks are very important.A gastrointestinal disease caused by noroviruses can cause dehydration in babies due to the persistent diarrhea and vomiting. Alarm signs for this are dry lips, tongue and oral mucosa. If there is massive fluid loss, the baby’s abdominal wall collapses and the skin loses its tension.
The eyes and the fontanel sink. Babies become dull, pale and apathetic. Water loss is life-threatening for babies. If noroviruses are suspected, a baby must be presented to a doctor immediately.
Noro virus in pregnancy
If pregnant women are infected with noroviruses, this often causes anxiety for expectant mothers. Noroviruses are basically harmless for unborn babies. However, pregnant women must take important measures.
If a norovirus infection is suspected during pregnancy, strict medical supervision is important. In an advanced pregnancy, severe diarrhoea can even trigger labor pains. In addition to close medical supervision, pregnancy measures include the intake of sufficient fluid. The expectant mother must compensate for water lost through diarrhoea and vomiting by drinking at least three liters of water a day.
Obligation to register according to the Infection Protection Act
In Germany, proven infection with a Norovirus is notifiable under the Infection Protection Act and must always be reported to the local health authority. Children with noroviruses are not allowed to attend schools, kindergartens or other public institutions during the period of illness. Employees who deal with food may only go back to work two days after the symptoms have subsided. In case of doubt, the responsible health authority should always be consulted to determine whether isolation at home is necessary.
Waves of illness
Again and again, so-called disease waves with many more frequent cases of illness occur in Germany. In Central Europe, the months of March and November are usually the months with the most frequent cases of illness. In summer, there are hardly any cases of illness caused by nororviruses.
Infection-related gastro-enteritis in the summer months is more likely to be caused by bacteria. If you were infected in one season, you can only fall ill again with the next wave of the disease when a new generation of viruses is responsible for the illness. The current generation of viruses can then no longer be infected.
The largest disease waves, the epidemics, have so far been observed mostly in hospitals or nursing homes, but also in kindergartens and other care facilities. In such institutions the virus benefits from its extreme environmental resilience and easy transmission in order to spread easily among the many people here. For this reason, entire cruise ships have often been affected by a wave of Norovirus infections. In 2013, a total of almost 90,000 cases of infection and illness caused by the Norovirus were reported.
