is bacterial diarrhea contagious :: Article CreatorCan I Go To Work With Diarrhea? What To Keep In Mind - Healthline
If you're experiencing diarrhea along with other possible symptoms of a contagious illness, you may need to stay home from work, school, and other public places until you've recovered.
Diarrhea is when you have watery or loose stools at least three times per day. Abdominal pain and cramps can also accompany it, as well as sudden urges to go.
There are numerous causes of diarrhea. Some of these are contagious illnesses that may also cause other symptoms, like fever, nausea, and vomiting. Stomach viruses, bacterial infections, and travelers' diarrhea can contribute to such illnesses and symptoms.
Staying home from work or school if you're experiencing diarrhea will help give you time to heal, as well as help prevent others from getting sick, too.
If you're unsure whether your situation warrants calling off from work, here's what you need to know, including the possible treatment options that may be available for support.
While an occasional loose stool isn't usually a cause for concern, more persistent symptoms of diarrhea could indicate an infection or other health condition.
What sets apart contagious illness-causing diarrhea from other conditions are its accompanying signs and symptoms. Some warning signs may include:
If you've determined you need to call in sick due to diarrhea, you do not need to outline any details to your employer. Telling them you have caught a stomach bug or virus is enough to suffice.
A stomach virus — sometimes called a "stomach bug" — is an informal name for viral gastroenteritis. While technically an intestinal infection, a stomach virus gets its name due to wide-ranging stomach-like symptoms, such as:
Stomach viruses usually last less than a week, and they don't typically require medical treatment unless they cause severe dehydration.
The most common type of stomach virus is the norovirus, which is also highly contagious. While norovirus symptoms usually last 1 to 2 days, people who get sick with this stomach virus may be contagious from 3 days up to 2 weeks after recovery.
Another possible, though less common type of stomach virus in adults is rotavirus. Like noroviruses, rotavirus infections can last 1 to 2 days. However, people who get sick may be contagious for 1 to 3 weeks.
Travelers' diarrhea is an umbrella term, referring to stomach viruses, as well as bacterial or parasitic infections you might acquire while traveling. Depending on the type of infection, symptoms may develop within several hours or up to 2 weeks after exposure.
If you're not feeling well but are uncertain whether you have a stomach virus or another contagious illness, it's best to stay home as a precaution. Most times, diarrhea resolves on its own with home treatment.
On the other hand, if you experience diarrhea once and have no other symptoms for several hours, there's a chance you might not be sick and don't necessarily need to stay home from work.
Should I go to work after vomiting once?
You should stay home if you think you're sick, even if you've vomited only once. As a rule of thumb, you shouldn't go back to work until you haven't vomited for 2 days in a row.
The presence of other symptoms, such as high fever and chills are other indications you ought to stay home and recover.
Most people with cases of acute diarrhea don't require medical attention, and it will resolve with home treatments within 4 days.
If a doctor determines you have a bacterial or parasitic infection, they might recommend antibiotics. No antivirals are available to treat stomach viruses.
Other home remedies that can help include taking probiotics, as well as eating a BRAT diet, which includes:
bananas white rice applesauce toast See a doctor for help if your symptoms don't improve or if you have diarrhea for longer than 7 days.
Treating a stomach virus
There are no medications available that treat stomach viruses. However, staying hydrated is important to help replace fluid losses due to diarrhea and vomiting.
For people with severe cases of dehydration, a doctor may recommend intravenous (IV) fluids.
There are many causes of diarrhea, and it may not be possible to know the exact cause of your case unless a doctor runs tests. However, if you have sudden diarrhea along with other acute symptoms, there's a chance you might have a stomach virus.
If you suspect you have a stomach virus or other illness that may be causing diarrhea, it's best to stay home. Not only does this give you a chance to rest, hydrate, and recover comfortably at home, but you will also reduce the risk of spreading illnesses at your workplace.
C. Diff Infection: Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis And Treatment - WebMD
Clostridioides difficile (C. Diff) is a type of bacteria that can cause colitis, a serious inflammation of the colon. Infections from C. Diff often start after you've been taking antibiotics. It can sometimes be life-threatening.
When you have C. Diff, the symptoms can range from mild to severe.
Mild symptoms can include problems such as:
Watery diarrhea that happens three to four times a day for several days Stomach pain, cramping, or tenderness In more serious infections, there may be blood or pus in the stool. This can happen because C. Diff can cause the colon (also called the large intestine) to get inflamed. When this happens, tissue in the colon can bleed or make pus. Other symptoms of a serious infection include:
If your C. Diff infection is severe, you could get severe intestinal inflammation. Your colon could also get enlarged and you could develop an extreme response called sepsis. All of these problems are serious and could send you to the hospital.
If your diarrhea from C. Diff is very severe, get medical help quickly. Severe diarrhea can lead to life-threatening dehydration.
What does C. Diff smell like?
C. Diff may change the odor of your stool. Some people say it's an unusually strong, foul odor they hadn't noticed before. Others report a sweetness to the odor, which may be caused by bile in your stool.
What does C. Diff poop look like?
If you have a condition, such as irritable bowel disease (IBD), that frequently causes diarrhea, it's helpful to know what your diarrhea looks like during a flare. This can help you see differences in the way it looks at other times and seek help promptly. For example, sometimes diarrhea caused by C. Diff looks like hot cereal — fluffy or mushy. Sometimes, you might see blood in your stool or mucus. Other times, it might have a green appearance.
C. Diff exists all around us. It's in the air, water, soil, and the feces of humans and animals.
Clostridium difficile (C. Diff) is a highly contagious bacterial infection of the colon. It's typically caused by taking certain antibiotics, which can interfere with the balance between good and bad bacteria in your gut.
C. Diff bacteria that are outside the body turn into spores that can live on surfaces for weeks or months. These spores are not "active," but they can turn active after you swallow them and they get into your intestines. Some people have the bacteria in their intestines and never have any symptoms. But for others, the bacteria make toxins that attack the intestines.
A new strain of C. Diff bacteria makes larger amounts of toxins. These types are hard to treat with medications.
C. Diff bacteria spread in health care facilities, such as hospitals or nursing homes, where workers are more likely to come into contact with them and then with patients or residents.
You can also become infected if you touch clothing, sheets, or other surfaces that have come in contact with feces and then touch your mouth or nose.
Older adults in health care facilities are most at risk, especially if they're taking antibiotics. That's because the human body contains thousands of different types of bacteria -- some good, some bad. If the antibiotics kill enough healthy bacteria, the ones that cause C. Diff could grow unchecked and make you sick.
The antibiotics that are most linked to a risk of C. Diff infection are:
Cephalosporins Clindamycin Fluoroquinolones Penicillins An increasing number of younger people also develop C. Diff infections, even without taking antibiotics or being in a hospital. Failure to wash your hands thoroughly after being exposed to the bacteria can lead to infection.
You also have higher odds of getting C. Diff if you have:
Women have higher chances of getting C. Diff than men. You're also more at risk for the disease if you're 65 or older. And the more times you've had the disease before, the greater your odds of developing C. Diff.
If a C. Diff infection isn't treated quickly, you could become dehydrated due to severe diarrhea. This loss of fluids might also affect your:
A C. Diff infection also can lead to rare problems such as:
Leaking from your colon. Fluid can leak from your colon into the abdominal cavity, resulting in a loss of proteins called albumin from your colon. Low albumin levels can cause leaky blood vessels and swelling in your face, feet, and hands.
Pseudomembranous colitis. Caused by toxins produced by C. Diff, this type of colitis attacks the cells of your intestinal lining, resulting in ulcers and plaques there.
Reactive arthritis. Severe C. Diff may cause joint pain, inflammation and swelling, an immune response that occurs in a small fraction of people with the infection.
Toxic megacolon. Your colon dilates and can't release gas or stool. This could cause it to swell and rupture. It can be life-threatening without emergency surgery.
Bowel perforation. This is a hole in your large intestines that allows dangerous bacteria to escape. It can lead to a dangerous infection called peritonitis.
Long-term problems after C. Diff
The more severe your C. Diff infection is, the higher the likelihood of complications. If you get C. Diff a second time, there's a 40% chance you'll get it again.
Your colon may heal more slowly if you had a severe form of C. Diff, have taken antibiotics for a long period (including for C. Diff), are immunocompromised, or are older than 65.
Yes. C. Diff is very contagious. Externally, C. Diff is transmitted to your gut through your mouth. Many of us already have C. Diff in our intestines that other, helpful bacteria keep in check. When antibiotics kill off these helpful bacteria, C. Diff can take over in your gut.
The spores C. Diff creates are resistant to the types of substances that kill other bacteria such as heat, acid, antibiotics, and disinfectant cleaners. C. Diff can live for months on surfaces.
How long is C. Diff contagious?
If you're being treated for Clostridioides difficile, you should stay away from other people for at least 48 hours after your symptoms disappear. Sometimes, you can have no symptoms but still have C. Diff in your colon that can be spread to others. That's why frequent handwashing with warm water and soap is so important. Hand sanitizer does not work on C. Diff.
C. Diff incubation period
It's not well-known how long the incubation period for C. Diff is. Studies have shown the infection can appear anywhere from 2 days to 3 months after you're exposed.
Antibiotics may have triggered your infection, but some types of these drugs target C. Diff. They include:
Talk with your doctor about the side effects of these antibiotics.
It's important to replace fluids that you lost from diarrhea. Drink plenty of fluids that have water, salt, and sugar, such as broth and fruit juices.
If there's been damage to your intestines, you may need surgery to remove the affected areas.
C. Diff diet
If you have watery diarrhea, eat starchy foods such as:
Crackers Potatoes Rice Oatmeal Soup Boiled vegetables Bananas C. Diff recurrence
Sometimes, a Clostridioides difficile infection can come back. Studies have shown that the people most at risk for a recurrence of C. Diff are:
Older (average age 70) Female or people assigned female at birth Those with a history of cancer Previous users of certain types of antibiotics (tetracyclines, cephalosporins, and nitrofurans) Other studies have indicated that kidney patients on dialysis may have a higher risk for C. Diff. This is because dialysis patients often require antibiotics to treat various complications due to their treatment.
Doctors sometimes recommend a treatment to help repopulate the colon with healthy bacteria. It's often done by putting another person's stool in your colon using a device called a colonoscope. The procedure is called fecal microbiota transplant (FMT).
Donors are screened carefully to make sure they're not passing along infections or parasites.
If you're in a hospital or long-term health care facility, you can do several things to protect yourself from C. Diff. For example:
Ask your health care professionals to wash their hands thoroughly before and after caring for you. Request that all medical equipment be sanitized before being brought into your room. Wash your hands with soap and water after using the bathroom and before eating. Another way to help prevent C. Diff is to avoid unnecessary antibiotics. Talk this over with your doctor and see if there are other treatment options. And don't take antibiotics without a doctor's OK.
Many C. Diff infections are mild and short-lived, but others can be quite serious. Take precautions, and don't hesitate to seek medical help if you have symptoms.
C. Diff and probiotics
After having C. Diff, it's important to reintroduce "good" bacteria back into your gut. These bacteria, called probiotics, can help limit the growth of C. Diff. Fermented foods with live cultures such as yogurt, kefir, miso, and sauerkraut contain probiotics. Probiotics can also be taken as supplements.
There is limited evidence about the role probiotics play in helping to treat or prevent C. Diff. Some data suggests that combinations of the good bacteria Lactobacillus and S. Boulardii may help prevent C. Diff infections in high-risk patients, but more research is needed.
Clostridioides difficileis a very contagious bacterial infection that causes symptoms such as frequent watery diarrhea, abdominal cramping, nausea, fever, blood in your stool, and a rapid heartbeat. C. Diff usually occurs after a course of certain antibiotics, known as broad-spectrum antibiotics, which kill good and bad bacteria in your gut and allow C. Diff to take over. Risk factors for C. Diff include being over age 65; a stay in a hospital, nursing home, or long-term care facility where treatment with antibiotics is common; and a history of previous C. Diff infection. Severe C. Diff can cause serious complications. If you've recently taken a course of antibiotics, see your doctor if you have watery diarrhea for more than a couple of days, develop a fever, or have severe cramping and abdominal pain.
Is it OK to be around someone with C. Diff?
You may have to take care of someone with C. Diff, but it's important to take precautions. These include isolating the person as much as possible, wearing and promptly throwing away disposable gloves when you care for them, and washing your hands frequently. Some disinfectants don't work on C. Diff, but cleaners containing chlorine (bleach) do. Be sure to disinfect any surfaces the person with C. Diff touches.
Can C. Diff be treated at home?
Yes. If your symptoms are mild, your doctor will ask you to stop taking the antibiotics that may have caused your C. Diff infection and start you on a new course of antibiotics that specifically target C. Diff. Most people make a full recovery in 1 to 2 weeks.
How do you get rid of C. Diff permanently?
You might always have C. Diff in your gut but not get sick or be contagious. If you have multiple infections with C. Diff, a procedure called fecal microbiota transplant from a stool sample of a healthy donor can restore bacterial balance in your gut to help ward off C. Diff.
Once you have C. Diff, do you always have it?
After being treated, you may still have some C. Diff left in your gut, but the balance of other bacteria in your gut should help keep C. Diff in check. A C. Diff relapse may not be your original infection but a new one.
3 Apes Die From Contagious Bacterial Infection Within Days Of Each Other At Jacksonville Zoo - CNN
CNN —
Three apes at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens died over the past week due to a highly infectious bacterial infection, according to the zoo.
Bulera, a 35-year-old female lowland gorilla died due to shigellosis – a highly contagious bacterial infection that causes gastrointestinal issues like diarrhea, cramping, vomiting and dehydration, the zoo announced in a post on social media on August 22.
Two brother bonobos, Jumanji and Jenga, later died from the infection, the Jacksonville, Florida, zoo said on Monday.
The source of the infection is unknown, but the zoo said it could have come from an asymptomatic ape who began to shed bacteria for an unknown reason. "It's also possible that the bacteria came from an asymptomatic staff member, but this is highly unlikely," the zoo said.
Shigella is typically spread among primates through feces, food and water. It can also impact humans, who can experience similar symptoms that typically go away on their own without antibiotic treatment, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
There is no danger to zoo guests, Tracy Fenn, curator of mammals at the Jacksonville Zoo, said during a news conference.
It is with profound heartbreak that we announce the unexpected passing of Bulera, a 35-year-old female western lowland...
Posted by Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens on Thursday, August 22, 2024
All three animals had existing heart conditions, making them more susceptible to the infection spreading among the primates at the zoo, according to Fenn.
Born in 1989 at the Lincoln Park Zoo, Bulera joined the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens in 2009 with her daughter Madini. Bulera had a son in 2015 and became a foster mother to a gorilla infant whose biological mother couldn't raise her, the zoo said.
Jumanji, who was born at San Diego Zoo Safari Park moved to Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens in 2008. Described as a "sweet and gentle soul," Jumanji supported his younger brother Jenga after their mother passed away in 2018.
Indigenous to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, bonobos are similar to chimpanzees, but have a smaller frame, shorter clavicle and smaller molars. The female bonobo is the head of the pack and male bonobos remain with their mothers for life relying on them for protection and social status, the zoo noted.
Jenga, the first bonobo birth witnessed by Animal Care Specialists at the facility, was a goofball who was always causing mischief, the zoo said.
"Our hearts are heavy as navigate this difficult time and we are feeling the weight of grief as we continue to care for the rest of our animals," Zoo CEO and President Jeff Ettling said on Wednesday.
Shigellosis can be much more serious in apes since it can be harder for them to fight off the bacteria, the zoo said.
Some of the other 18 apes in the Primate Forest have symptoms like those shown by Bulera, Jumanji and Jenga and are in different stages of treatment and recovery. They are being kept away from those not showing symptoms, added Fenn.
Treatment includes giving the animals fluids, antibiotics and electrolytes. Some may require IV treatment under sedation, she said.
There is no threat to zoo visitors and the zoo is a safe place to visit, officials said.
A fund for public donations has been established by the facility as they continue to care for the infected animals.
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