is stomach flu airborne?!

Best Answer - Chosen by Voters

Stomach flu is actually not a flu at all, but is gastroenteritis. Gastroenteritis is inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract, involving the stomach, intestines, or both; usually resulting in diarrhea, abdominal cramps, nausea and possibly vomiting, and is usually caused by a virus. However, there are many different viruses that can cause gastroenteritis.

The majority of causes of gastroenteritis are contagious (mainly viral, bacterial, and parasitic). In some instances where the cause of the gastroenteritis is not a pathogen (for example, food allergies, toxins that are ingested), gastroenteritis is not contagious. The virus almost always enters the body through the mouth as a result of some sort of direct contact with an infected person or with contaminated food.

Because there are so many different causes of gastroenteritis, the ability to prevent the disease is related to the cause. Some causes are easier to prevent than others. For example, although viral causes are very contagious, one major viral pathogen, rotavirus, has a vaccine that has markedly reduced the incidence of rotavirus in the US pediatric population.

However, there are several general steps people can take to prevent or reduce the chance of getting gastroenteritis from almost every cause. These are as follows:

Hand washing, especially before eating and after any close association with an infected person, or items (clothing, bedding, toys) they have touched

Launder items daily that infected persons wear

Avoid as much direct contact with infected individuals as possible

Do not eat undercooked foods, especially meats like hamburger

Do not eat or drink raw foods or untreated water

Do not drink any untreated or unpasteurized fluids, especially milk

Thoroughly wash any produce before eating

While traveling, avoid all raw foods and ice; drink only from sealed bottled products and use bottled water for tooth brushing

These methods can reduce the chance of getting gastroenteritis from most of the known causes, but no method offers complete protection.

http://www.medicinenet.com/gastroenterit…
http://www.spelthorne.gov.uk/text/wrk_av…