Stomach flu making its presence known

A flu-like nuisance is sweeping through families as the fall season begins.

Commonly referred to as the flu, the stomach flu is a highly contagious illness that lasts on average 24 hours, said Dr. Daniel Bieser of the Mount Auburn Medical Group. It is not to be mistaken as influenza, which is a respiratory illness.

Influenza is transmitted through water droplets from sneezing and coughing.

The stomach flu is transmitted through touch, and washing of the hands after each use of the restroom drastically reduces cases, he said. "The most commercially available soaps are adequate," Bieser said.

In the case of Angie DePunge, with the Jackson School District, 11 members of her family have had the stomach flu since mid-September.

"It's put a toll on us," she said, because the close-knit family shared in caring for children, siblings and spouses. DePunge, 43, battled it on Wednesday.

After experiencing dry heaves and an inability to hold down fluids, DePunge admitted herself to the emergency room on Wednesday evening to treat dehydration. Though she said the symptoms seem to last longer in adults than children, she went back to work Thursday.

The stomach flu can encompass multiple viruses that result in diarrhea, vomiting, stomach cramps, fatigue and mild fever, Bieser said. Influenza has no stomach-related problems, instead high fever, muscle aches, severe coughing, severe fatigue and runny nose and eyes. In some cases, children with influenza exhibit nausea, vomiting and occasional diarrhea.

To prevent dehydration, people with the stomach flu should drink isotonic fluids, such as Gatorade, Pedialyte and Infalyte, Bieser said. Avoid solutions high in sugar, which invites more water into the stomach, causing more diarrhea.

Few cases of the stomach flu have lead to severe intestinal infection, which exhibits a high fever and bloody diarrhea, he said. Otherwise, the stomach flu will run its course this season.

jmetelski@semissourian.com