The stomach flu, also known as gastroenteritis, is a common condition that affects many people across the country each year. This illness is commonly characterized by severe vomiting, abdominal pain and dehydration from an inability to effectively consume liquids. Stomach flu, however, is probably best known for its highly contagious nature.
In fact, people that develop the stomach flu can make other people in their household catch the illness as soon as they’re exposed to them. Despite how fast the stomach flu develops in people, the illness is known to have different incubation periods for most.
The Incubation Period of Stomach Flu
To understand the differences in incubation periods for stomach flu, know that there are two viruses that cause stomach flu: norovirus and rotavirus.
Norovirus
Norovirus is the most common cause of stomach flu. Most people are contagious from the moment that they become ill. Much of the symptoms start appearing within a day or three days of getting exposed; some people are known to be contagious up about two weeks after recovering from the illness. Children affected by norovirus actually stay contagious for longer period than adults.
Rotavirus
Rotavirus mainly affects young children and infants. Symptoms often appear up to two days after being exposed. When they contract the virus, however, they’re contagious from the moment they show symptoms. Most children stay contagious up to two weeks after recovery.
In most cases, these viruses are spread through close contact with the infected. The best way to stop spreading the illness is disinfecting and/or washing your hands.
Additional Notes on Incubation Period
Despite the length of the incubation period in rotavirus and norovirus, there is an average period of time that people will incubate the illness.
Most people will harbor the stomach flu virus for as little as 4 hours to as long as 2 days. Naturally, that length of the incubation period depends on the virus that’s causing the infection.
The symptoms also start developing as soon as the initial incubation period passes, usually about after a day or two. At the onset of stomach flu, the virus infiltrates the small intestine and starts to multiply. When this happens, the symptoms from stomach flu start affecting people who are carrying the illness.
While stomach flu happens seemingly out of nowhere, it’s still completely curable. People with stomach flu should take care to get the appropriate medications and stay hydrated enough to curb most of the symptoms associated with the illness.
