Children and risk of Norovirus

[BruceMuzz]

Yes, there are some new Norovirus tests that can be used onboard ships.

They are not very  reliable and also rather expensive to administer.

VSP doesn’t really trust the test results, and insists on their own independent tests, which need several days to get results.

In most cases, the results of the tests arrive after the patients have recovered from the illness.

 

Food poisoning and Norovirus infections sometimes have similar symptoms - but there are often (not always) subtle differences between them. Experienced cruise ship doctors are quite good at differentiating between them.

 

Scientifically, there are additional clues that help to differentiate between viral outbreaks and food poisoning. When you have large groups of people eating the same foods, food poisoning will typically affect a large number at the onset, then the numbers will drop quickly as the affected people recover. With the same groups, viral infection will affect a small number at the onset, but re-infection will expand exponentially.

[donaldsc]

On 8/3/2019 at 9:15 PM, ldubs said:

 

I think the odds are increased in any closed-in environment. 

 

Do you have any scientific or experimental or statistical evidence to support that statement or is it just an unsupported guess on your part.  

 

DON

[donaldsc]

On 8/3/2019 at 9:15 PM, ldubs said:

 

I think the odds are increased in any closed-in environment. 

 

Do you have any scientific or experimental or statistical evidence to support that statement or is it just an unsupported guess on your part.  Also what professional expertise do you have to make it?

 

DON

[ldubs]

9 hours ago, donaldsc said:

 

Do you have any scientific or experimental or statistical evidence to support that statement or is it just an unsupported guess on your part.  

 

DON

 

As you certainly already know, I stated an opinion based on anecdotal evidence of the way noro is transmitted.  

[clo]

12 hours ago, BruceMuzz said:

When you have large groups of people eating the same foods, food poisoning will typically affect a large number at the onset, then the numbers will drop quickly as the affected people recover. With the same groups, viral infection will affect a small number at the onset, but re-infection will expand exponentially.

Excellent comment.  I always wanted to be an epidemiologist 🙂  What is your background?  Obviously you're in the biz.

[BruceMuzz]

Public Health consultant for Cruise Lines.

[BruceMuzz]

On 8/4/2019 at 9:35 PM, donaldsc said:

 

Do you have any scientific or experimental or statistical evidence to support that statement or is it just an unsupported guess on your part.  Also what professional expertise do you have to make it?

 

DON

If you go to the CDC website, you can find many studies and test results that suggest that closed environments like prisons, old age homes, schools, airplanes, and cruise ships are susceptible to increased risk of norovirus infection.