Dear Dr. Donohue: I have read your column for many years, but I haven't seen anything about stomach flu. Someone in my family of seven gets it every year. Does the flu shot protect you from it?
H.H.
Dear H.H.: At one time, I conducted a crusade to erase the term "stomach" (or intestinal) flu from the English language. I didn't get very far, so I gave up on it. Real flu -- influenza -- is a respiratory illness, not an intestinal illness. The flu shot provides protection only against true flu, not "stomach" flu.
Four viruses are the usual culprits of stomach flu, and, for adults, the one that leads the pack is norovirus. Vomiting, diarrhea, fever and often headache are the main symptoms. It comes on suddenly, about one or two days after the virus enters the body. The sickness lasts only one to three days. The virus is passed in contaminated food and water, and it can live for long times on inanimate objects -- another possible source of transmission.
Replacing fluid lost through diarrhea is the most important aspect of treatment. A homemade replacement solution is a mixture of half a teaspoon of salt, half a teaspoon of baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) and four tablespoons of sugar in a quart (about 1 liter) of water. Commercial fluid replacements also are available, and drinks like Gatorade are suitable for infections that are not prostrating. Bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto-Bismol) controls diarrhea.
Write to Dr. Donohue at P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475.
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