What can I do to avoid being infected?

If it is infectious diarrhea, the most important measure is thorough hygiene. Regular hand washing is especially important. Alternatively, the hands can be rubbed with Sagrotan or Sterilium.

The patient’s surroundings should also be thoroughly cleaned – in particular, the toilet should be disinfected after each use. If possible, even a separate toilet should be used. Furthermore, one should keep distance from the sick person.

Ideally, separate bed linen, towels and washcloths should also be used. Afterwards the used items should be washed at at least 60 degrees. Furthermore one should be careful when preparing food. Raw foods such as meat and fish should be fried sufficiently. The food should be stored in a cool place and spoiled food should be disposed of immediately.

Are you allowed to kiss if you have diarrhea?

To answer this question, the trigger of the diarrhea must be known. There is no need to worry about diarrhea caused by food intolerance or chronic intestinal disease. This diarrhea is not contagious and therefore no precautionary measures need to be taken. However, if the diarrhea is caused by a bacterial or viral infection, you should keep your distance from your partner. The infection can be highly contagious and thorough hygiene should be observed (e.g. regular hand washing).

The duration of infectious diarrhea

The duration of the disease depends on the pathogen and the own immune defence. Therefore no generally valid statement can be made. The duration of a Norovirus infection is about 2 days.

However, the stool can be infectious up to 2 weeks later. A rotavirus infection on the other hand lasts 1 to 3 days and the viruses are excreted in the stool for another week. In adenovirus infection, you are still infectious for at least 2 weeks after the symptoms have subsided.The most common bacterial pathogens are Campylobacter jejuni and E. coli. They differ in the incubation period, but both pathogens are excreted in the stool for another month.