Norovirus is the leading cause of food-borne outbreaks in the US,
with fresh produce (especially leafy vegetables and fruits) among
the most common culprits.1
While you can be infected with norovirus through direct contact
with someone who's infected, this virus is often spread through the
fecal-oral route, when you consume food or water that's
contaminated.
According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC), sick food handlers are the main source of food-borne
norovirus outbreaks and caused about half of such cases from 2001 to
2008.2
This makes sense, since norovirus outbreaks are commonly
associated with contaminated foods from restaurants and long-term
care facilities. It turns out there may be an additional culprit,
however, an insidious one that to date has received very little
attention.
Dirty Water Used to Dilute Pesticides May Spread Norovirus
Contaminated water has long been recognized as a potential
introduction source of norovirus to fresh produce, but typically
this has centered on water used to irrigate crops.
Researchers from the Netherlands decided to look into the water
used to reconstitute pesticides to determine if that could be a
relevant source of infectious norovirus, and their results revealed
a strong possibility that it could.3
They tested four fungicides and four insecticides commonly used
on lettuce and raspberries (two foods associated with norovirus
outbreaks), diluted with water that had been spiked with norovirus.
In seven of the eight pesticides tested, norovirus persisted even
two hours later. As reported by Environmental Health
Perspectives:4
"Farmers mix pesticides with water from sources including
wells, irrigation ditches, rivers, and lakes. All these water
sources have been known to harbor norovirus. Until recently, no
one had tested whether norovirus in contaminated water remains
infectious after pesticides are added."
The study suggests that if farmers use contaminated water to
reconstitute their pesticides, the virus is likely to still be
active when it's sprayed onto crops. The researchers concluded:
"The application of pesticides may therefore not only be
a chemical hazard, but also a microbiological hazard for public
health. The inclusion of antiviral substances in reconstituted
pesticides may be appropriate to reduce the virological health
risk posed by the application of pesticides."
Though the researchers recommended adding antiviral substances to
water, a much simpler, and healthier, option is to buy organic
produce as much as possible, since this eliminates the use of
chemical pesticides.
Signs and Symptoms of Norovirus
Noroviruses are the leading cause of gastroenteritis in the US,
responsible for up to 21 million illnesses, 71,000 hospitalizations,
and 800 deaths each year.5
They generally cause a nasty infection that leads to diarrhea,
abdominal pain, and vomiting within 24-48 hours of exposure.
Norovirus infection is often referred to as the "stomach flu,"
although it shouldn't be confused with influenza, which is a
respiratory infection.
The symptoms of norovirus infection can be quite debilitating,
but most people recover on their own within a few days. Those most
at risk of complications (typically dehydration) are infants, the
elderly, and those with compromised immune systems.
The elderly living in nursing homes and children in day care
facilities are often among those hardest hit, due to their close
proximity with others and the highly contagious nature of these
viruses. This is also the reason why cruise ships are sometimes
associated with norovirus outbreaks. To get an idea of just how
contagious this group of viruses is, a person with norovirus
infection may shed billions of norovirus particles, but it
takes just 18 of these particles to infect someone else.6
How Norovirus Is Spread Via Your Food
As far as food poisonings go, noroviruses are strongly associated
with restaurant-prepared or store-bought "complex foods" – foods
that contain a number of ingredients so that the specific culprit
cannot be pinpointed. Ready-to-eat foods, including salads,
sandwiches, ice, cookies, and fruit, are also risks, although eating
any food that is contaminated with vomit or feces from an infected
person could lead to infection.7
Not only can the virus be spread before a person starts feeling
sick, but it also remains in a person's stool for two weeks – or
more – after the symptoms resolve. So if a food handler is not
careful, he could continue to spread the virus to others for some
time.
Even heating a food may not be enough to get rid of this
resilient virus. Noroviruses can survive heating up to 140°F as well
as quick-steaming methods often used to prepare shellfish.8
It can also survive being frozen. Of course, if the featured study
is correct it's possible that your food could be contaminated before
it's even harvested while it's sprayed with pesticides in the field.
The Keys to Lowering Your Risk of Stomach Flu
As mentioned, buying organic produce may be one of the best ways
to lower your risk, as it will reduce your exposure to pesticides
and the potentially contaminated water used to reconstitute them.
Washing your vegetables and fruits before use may also help to
reduce your risk (although probably won't get rid of norovirus
completely).
Because many norovirus outbreaks are tied to restaurant or
ready-made foods, the more you prepare your own food at home, the
lower your risk of contracting this food-borne infection is likely
to become.
Finally, washing your hands remains one of the best strategies
for preventing the stomach flu. Washing your hands (and your
children's hands) with soap and water if you've been in a public
place and before eating is essential. Be careful not to over-wash
your hands, however, as this can create tiny cuts in your hands
where a virus can enter. Other common sense measures for preventing
the stomach flu include:
Trying not to touch your eyes, mouth, or nose (which is how
the virus enters), especially if your hands are not clean
Avoiding sharing utensils, drinking cups, hand towels, etc.
with others
Try oil of oregano. Carvacrol, an active substance in
oregano oil, may be effective against norovirus, as it has been
found to break down the virus’ tough outer layer.The study found oregano oil may inactivate norovirus within
one hour of exposure. Not only can you try adding oregano oil to
your natural cleaners to use as a surface disinfectant, but
oregano oil can also be taken internally. When choosing an
oregano oil, generally the higher the carvacrol
concentration, the more effective it will be.
Along with the practical precautions mentioned above, preventing
the stomach flu also involves keeping your immune system healthy by
following these
five steps to boost your immune system health.
What to Do if You're Infected with Norovirus
Most people will become infected with the stomach flu at some
point during their lives. If this happens, make sure the vomiting
and diarrhea does not cause you to become dehydrated, as dehydration
can be life threatening. So if you begin to become dehydrated, it is
vital that you go to an emergency room for evaluation and treatment.
Initially, however, the following simple protocol is often very
effective in clearing up the stomach flu long before you get to this
point. If you have thrown up, put your stomach at complete rest for
at least three hours. Avoid water, crackers, soda… everything for at
least three hours after the last time you throw up.
Once three hours have passed and no further vomiting has
occurred, then try sipping small amounts of water slowly. If that is
tolerated and you have not vomited further, you can gradually
increase the water. Do this for one to two hours and if that is
tolerated then you are ready for the final phase: large doses of a
high-quality probiotic, taken every 30 to 60 minutes until your
symptoms go away.
Small amounts of fresh crushed ginger root, which is available in
nearly every grocery produce section, finely cut up and swallowed
whole can be enormously helpful for the nausea. But remember, it
should not be taken for at least three hours after the last time you
throw up.
Vote with Your Pocketbook, Every Day
Remember, the food companies on the left of this graphic spent
tens of millions of dollars in the last two labeling campaigns—in
California and Washington State—to prevent you from knowing
what's in your food. You can even the score by switching to the
brands on the right; all of whom stood behind the I-522 Right to
Know campaign. Voting with your pocketbook, at every meal, matters.
It makes a huge difference.
As always, I encourage you to continue educating yourself about
genetically engineered foods, and to share what you've learned with
family and friends. Remember, unless a food is certified organic,
you can assume it contains GMO ingredients if it contains sugar from
sugar beet, soy, or corn, or any of their derivatives.
If you buy processed food, opt for products bearing the USDA 100%
Organic label, as organics do not permit GMOs. You can also print
out and use the
Non-GMO Shopping Guide, created by the Institute for Responsible
Technology. Share it with your friends and family, and post it to
your social networks. Alternatively, download their free iPhone
application, available in the iTunes store. You can find it by
searching for ShopNoGMO in the applications. For more in-depth
information, I highly recommend reading the following two books,
authored by Jeffrey Smith, the executive director of the
Institute for
Responsible Technology:
Genetic Roulette: The Documented Health Risks of Genetically
Engineered Foods.
For timely updates,
join the Non-GMO
Project on Facebook, or
follow them on Twitter.
Please, do your homework. Together, we have the power to stop the
chemical technology industry from destroying our food supply, the
future of our children, and the earth as a whole. All we need is
about five percent of American shoppers to simply stop buying
genetically engineered foods, and the food industry would have to
reconsider their source of ingredients—regardless of whether the
products bear an actual GMO label or not.
Copyright 1997- 2014 Dr. Joseph Mercola. All Rights Reserved.