A recent study has shown that noroviruses can spread through the air and hospitals' efforts during gastroenteritis outbreaks may be insufficient, according to an article on the Infection Control Today website.
The study is in the latest issue of Clinical Infectious Diseases.
The researchers studied eight hospitals and long-term care facilities affected by gastroenteritis outbreaks. They gathered air samples at a distance of 1 meter from patients, at the doors to their rooms and at nursing stations. Noroviruses were found in the air at six of the eight facilities studied.
According to the study, this could explain why gastroenteritis outbreaks are so hard to contain, since the measures applied in hospital settings are only designed to limit direct contact with infected patients.
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