The Daily OrangeFlu bug hits Villanova | Students flood health centers, hospital after widespread campus virus causes vomiting, dehydration
By Ivy Tan
Posted: 2/7/08, 11:57 PM EST Section: News
Hospitals surrounding Villanova's campus at the end of January were packed full of students with a non-treatable virus.
The norovirus, a type of gastroenteritis that causes severe flu-like symptoms, hit the campus of Villanova University last week, affecting more than 100 students. It caused an increase in visits to the university health center and local hospitals, said Kaitlin Ryan, captain of Villanova Emergency Medical Services.
Rev. John Stack, vice president for student life at Villanova, was out of town and could not be reached for comment, but said in an article published on Jan. 31 by The Villanovan, the university's student newspaper, that it is not uncommon for a university to have a virus outbreak sometime in the school year.
"You typically see the norovirus during winter months," said Dr. Mary McGonigle, director of health services at Villanova. We see a form of it (at Villanova) every year, and in 2006 we actually had quite a few kids sick, but certainly not as many as this year."
"That's what made it more significant; I wouldn't call it a true health scare," she said "I think what was unusual for Villanova is the number of kids that got sick at the same time."
McGonigle notes there were norovirus outbreaks in communities surrounding the university just before classes began for the second semester.
"I don't have a direct source for the outbreak here this year because the kids have all just gotten back from Christmas break and they come from all over the country," she said. "There's always a chance they came back with it from home."
After initial exposure, the virus can be contagious for as long as two weeks.
According to Ryan, the most common symptoms exhibited by the students affected were vomiting, diarrhea, nausea, and dehydration.
Ryan said affected students often times vomited once every few hours, which eventually prevented their bodies from keeping normal fluid levels, resulting in dehydration. In some severe cases, students fainted and were transported from the university health center to nearby hospitals, where they were hooked to IVs to replace fluids.
The norovirus, a type of gastroenteritis that causes severe flu-like symptoms, hit the campus of Villanova University last week, affecting more than 100 students. It caused an increase in visits to the university health center and local hospitals, said Kaitlin Ryan, captain of Villanova Emergency Medical Services.
Rev. John Stack, vice president for student life at Villanova, was out of town and could not be reached for comment, but said in an article published on Jan. 31 by The Villanovan, the university's student newspaper, that it is not uncommon for a university to have a virus outbreak sometime in the school year.
"You typically see the norovirus during winter months," said Dr. Mary McGonigle, director of health services at Villanova. We see a form of it (at Villanova) every year, and in 2006 we actually had quite a few kids sick, but certainly not as many as this year."
"That's what made it more significant; I wouldn't call it a true health scare," she said "I think what was unusual for Villanova is the number of kids that got sick at the same time."
McGonigle notes there were norovirus outbreaks in communities surrounding the university just before classes began for the second semester.
"I don't have a direct source for the outbreak here this year because the kids have all just gotten back from Christmas break and they come from all over the country," she said. "There's always a chance they came back with it from home."
After initial exposure, the virus can be contagious for as long as two weeks.
According to Ryan, the most common symptoms exhibited by the students affected were vomiting, diarrhea, nausea, and dehydration.
Ryan said affected students often times vomited once every few hours, which eventually prevented their bodies from keeping normal fluid levels, resulting in dehydration. In some severe cases, students fainted and were transported from the university health center to nearby hospitals, where they were hooked to IVs to replace fluids.
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alex
posted 2/09/08 @ 9:00 PM EST
Geez... and I thought the flu I had this week was bad.
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