Gastroenteritis strikes U.

In the last two weeks, McCosh Health Center has served roughly 90 students suffering from symptoms of gastroenteritis, which include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramps and occasionally fever. Some students traveling on Intersession trips, including the Triangle Club tour and the Princeton Ski and Snowboard Team training trip, were also affected.

University Health Services and the Office of Environmental Health and Safety issued its first gastroenteritis campus hygiene advisory on Feb. 3 during Intersession. The second warning, which advised the University community on best practices to avoid contagion, came out three days later. The University last sent similar warnings in 2009 about H1N1 influenza and in 2008 about gastroenteritis.

The apparent cause of most cases of the illness is the highly contagious norovirus, which is normally spread through contact with an affected individual or through water or food infected with fecal matter. Norovirus is most commonly transmitted by improper hand-washing techniques after using the restroom, and infected people continue to shed particles even after symptoms have subsided. Just one norovirus particle can cause infection.

In the campus health advisories, UHS suggested that students take appropriate measures to prevent infection, such as ensuring hand sanitation, staying hydrated and refraining from close contact with anyone showing symptoms.

“Of particular concern is that there are more opportunities for the norovirus to spread when students are engaged in social activities that involve large numbers of people in close contact,” University Spokesperson Martin Mbugua said.

The virus wreaked havoc on the Triangle Club’s annual Intersession tour, which required the group to travel by bus for performances in several East Coast cities. Nearly half of the performers contracted gastroenteritis. Students who were still recovering needed to step in for their ill cast mates, but members of the club said the tour was a success nonetheless.

“The virus was a huge bummer, but everyone on tour bonded together and made sure every show went up no matter what,” Triangle member Catherine Cohen ’13 said. “It made the reception on our last night in NYC feel particularly well deserved.”

Morgan Young ’15 contracted the illness early Sunday morning. Having heard the University announcements about the stomach bug, she checked in to McCosh between 2 and 3 p.m. She was given nausea medication, an anti-nausea injection and was eventually placed on an IV.

Within 12 hours, though, she felt better and eventually left McCosh at 6 p.m. on Monday. The short-term illness did not affect her life significantly, she said.

“I’m in a play and missed a couple rehearsals,” she said, adding that she could not attend the first day of classes as well. “I got it over the weekend, so it wasn’t that much.”

Though the number and severity of this year’s gastroenteritis cases is unusual, Mbugua said the University was prepared for an increase this time of year.

“UHS plans for an increase in volume every February, since that is frequently a time when utilization of our services increases, so we have adequate resources to handle the number of students that we have been seeing,” Mbugua said.

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In addition to recommending contagion-preventing measures in the health advisories, the University is also working with Dining Services, janitorial staff and the eating clubs to ensure good hygiene practices.