gastrointestinal, how do you know though, because some of the symptoms are the same as the flu, how do you know what s the difference and how do you treat this virus? well truthfully the regular influenza you really shouldn t have vomiting and diarrhea. arthel: okay. and there really isn t a treatment for this virus. most of the time in normal healthy adults and older children, they just are sick for a week the key is, the diarrhea isn t what can make you sick, it is the vomiting. you can get dehydrated from that. the key to that is really to keep a lot of fluids down. if you re finding somebody in your family, a child, a coworker, whatever, and they re not keeping fluids down, that s the time to go to the emergency room because what you might need is some iv fluids. arthel: so you didn t tell me, dr. lee, that there is necessarily a way to treat it? correct me if i m wrong. do you let it pass through the body, make sure you stay
hydrated? no, it is. with a lot of diarrhea illnesses somehow that is how we get rid of the bacteria and viruses. people always want to stop diarrhea. i tell people if they can stand the diarrhea and keep really well-hydrated. that is the key. and it take as week and runs its course. the key if you re very old, very young, immune compromised and you really can t keep anything down, then you might need some ivs. arthel: once you catch this norovirus are you more susceptible for it to be able to attack you again? you know, every year the same way we get the flu. little changes come in. yeah, you can get the the norovirus again. this is new strain called the sydney strain from australia, a little different than the older ones. so they re pretty tricky these viruses. they mutate, they esolve and get us again. arthel: yikes!. wash your hands is the main thing, right. right. arthel: dr. lee van know