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Gastroenteritis is a common contagious infection of the gastrointestinal tract caused by various viruses (noroviruses, rotaviruses, adenoviruses, astroviruses) and microbes (salmonella, shigella).

It includes symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, fever and malaise.

It is important to ensure adequate fluid intake, while antiemetic and antidiarrheal drugs are not indicated in children. Specifically, for rotavirus, there is a vaccine available that is administered in the first year of life as infants are particularly susceptible to gastroenteritis and may require hospitalization in case of dehydration. In the event of a suspected gastroenteritis epidemic in a school, there are specific measures that must be taken to protect children, in collaboration with the competent authority, which should be informed immediately.

Gastroenteritis outbreaks occur mainly in crowded environments, such as schools and daycare centers. This is especially true for daycare centers due to the age of the children, poor personal hygiene, and lack of bowel control. They result in serious problems in the smooth functioning of schools with many children absent and very often the closure of the facilities for a few days. The most common outbreaks of gastroenteritis are caused by pathogens such as norovirus and shigella, which are transmitted from person to person.

Pathogenic microorganisms such as rotavirus are also responsible, with a decreasing incidence due to vaccination in infancy, as already mentioned, e.coli and salmonella. During the Covid-19 pandemic, fewer cases of such outbreaks were reported due to the measures that were already in place to prevent the transmission of Covid-19.

Enteric pathogens are known to have rapid transmission, which occurs from person to person through the entero-oral route by microdroplets during vomiting and by contamination of the surrounding environment. The most common incubation period, i.e. the time from contact with the infectious agent to the onset of symptoms, is 12 to 48 hours.
The main measures to deal with gastroenteritis epidemics should be aimed at stopping transmission and preventing it.

These measures include thorough cleaning of premises, training in correct and effective handwashing, and keeping sick children and teachers out of school while they are symptomatic. More specifically, effective hand hygiene should include washing hands before and after eating and using the toilet with soap and warm water. Antiseptic gels are not effective against norovirus and are recommended to be used in addition to washing.

All surfaces in schools should be thoroughly cleaned with hot water and detergent, and additional chlorine preparation should be used on food surfaces and toilets. Also, children should eat in specific areas.

Finally, it is important to emphasize that children and teachers who have experienced symptoms can return to school 48 hours after the last vomiting or diarrhea.