Summer Gripe

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                                                                       Summer Gripe.

P.K.Ghatak,MD

No.54



The Webster dictionary calls gripe spasmodic contractions of the gut. In the nautical fields it conveys something very different and in European countries summer gripe'e means summer influenza which produces fever, aches with runny nose, watery eyes and cough. It is more like a common cold than flu in the summer.

In those days when illness due to viruses was unknown but the medical community knew Koch's postulate; in one experiment a group of volunteer prisoners in Ohio, USA were fed clean filtrate made from rectal swabs of patients suffering from Summer Gripe. All volunteers came down with similar symptoms like the source patients. However, the investigators failed to identify any pathogenic organism. After the discovery of Immunoelectron microscopy, a virus was identified as the pathogen.

Norovirus infection is the most frequent cause of summer gastroenteritis in the USA. The CDC estimates 20 million cases are seen every year and 60 % all acute Gastroenteritis are due to this virus. The virus is very infectious, and the infected patient sheds the virus during illness and continues to shed several days following recovery.

Ingestion of contaminated food and drinks are usual mode of infection but orofecal transfer is usual in events where a large number of people congregate for example in ocean cruises, summer camps, dormitories of military recruits, nursing homes and primary schools, etc.

In recent years on many Caribbean cruises, the entire passengers and crews became infected. Since then, strict public health measures have been implemented by the US authorities.

This virus is originally named Norwalk virus after identification of the virus following an outbreak of gastroenteritis in a primary school in Norwalk, Ohio. Now it is named as Norovirus.

Symptoms begin with nausea and vomiting within 48 hrs. acquiring the infection. This is followed by a campy abdominal pain and watery diarrhea. The disease is self-limited, usually symptoms abate within 24 hrs. Any fatality is extremely rare. The initial infection does not provide lasting immunity because the virus mutates very frequently like influenza viruses. As a result, a new variety of the Norovirus infection, the antibodies to the previous Norovirus do not protects the body.

A strict hygienic measure is only way to prevent infection.


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