How often would you say you get a stomach bug/infection/virus per year?

[Borelis]

How often would you say you get a stomach bug/infection/virus per year?

) Last 10 years or so, I've never eaten anything that's been in contact with my hands -

That’s a bit .... odd?

Apparently type O are most susceptible to Norovirus, it's not woo I promise! I think being rhesus positive helps too.

Articles below explain better than I can.

eportal.mountsinai.ca/Microbiology/bug/norwalk/nor-dis.shtml

www.acsh.org/news/2019/03/05/do-you-get-stomach-bug-while-others-dodge-it-it-could-be-your-blood-13849

I’m O - the type that get it the most and worst.

DH who doesn’t get Noro is A.

Can't remember any in first 33 yrs of my life. Yet throwing up was not unfamiliar, so I must have had some v-bugs.

My blood type is AB+ which is supposed to be resistant; not a chance. After DC1 turned 1yo, I probably got a v-bug every 18-24m for next 11yrs. Just 1 or 2 in subsequent 7 yrs. DS had something that seemed just like noro earlier this week, and similar last summer, but rest of us were fine both times. Possibly no vomitting-bugs at all for rest of household in last 7 yrs. So I guess rest of us still have immunity.

ps: I spent 75 minutes cleaning up vomit from likely noro in DS, 5 days ago. I thought I was doomed. Nope, seem to be fine.

I don't.

Largely because I'm a Food Hygiene Nazi I take having a clean kitchen and food storage very seriously.

I had something like gastro once or dysentery, it was that bad around 24 years ago and something violently evil following trying a different takeaway out. Never again if I can avoid it.

DP sighs when he hears me around the fridge because he knows I will be examining the condition and packaging/wrapping of food and luzzing it out at the slightest doubt. My argument is if he doesn't want me to throw it out, don't leave the bastarding stuff uncovered on the countertop overnight or open in the fridge, then. Especially as the odds are it only went in the fridge after being out for several hours first.

Had tummy upsets regularly as a kid. Because the house was a fucking midden. All that bollocks about houses being too clean causing allergies and autoimmune disease is a crock of shit, as by that reasoning, I should have been fine.

My home is clean, but we have cats + litter tray, etc. As long as the countertops are wiped down immediately before cooking and hands are washed properly, it's fine.

If somebody is picking up bugs regularly and they are over 18, they need to rethink their kitchen hygiene. Below that, they need to be taught to wash their hands properly to reduce the opportunities for other people's children passing on bugs.

I last had one 20 years ago

Hi all,
Thank you for all the replies so far (I did read them all :) )

To answer some of the questions:

• Yes my frequent stomach bugs could also be connected to IBS and allergies as I do have both BUT I can distinguish between IBS/allergies and a stomach bug as I never get nausea with IBS/allergies and also the smell of anything..exiting (diarrhea) is very different depending on if it's a bug or IBS so perhaps the IBS may make me more susceptible to bugs but I'm sure it is a bug that I'm getting.

-Yup I realize never touching foods with hands is weird for sure (I don't know anyone else who does that - I presume it's some sort of OCD) stemming from having a sensitive stomach (as used to eat with my hands as a child).

-I very rarely handle raw meats (like chopping them etc. - usually buy pre-chopped or just grill/roast straight away without cutting it further.

Last time was Valentine's Day some sort of vomiting. I can't remember the last time before that. I can go ages but then may have a couple of episodes in 6 months.

I had noro virus about 9 years ago and that was the last time. Dh and ds had a horrid sick bug about 3 months ago but I didn't get it despite bed sharing at the time with ds. I have a bit of an iron stomach due to my job though, I also managed to eat about 7 raw chicken nuggets (I know, genuinely didnt notice) recently and was fine. I probably get 4-5 colds a year though and get an upset tummy if anxious.

Norovirus once (and never again please!)
The odd upset stomach/nausea which lasts a few hours. I rarely actually vomit, even with the noro it only happened twice

I'm not hygiene fussy - am careful with raw meat, I eat leftovers, I don't wash fruit or veg and I share apples with the horse. Am immunocompromised though

Never had a stomach bug that I can remember.

I work with children so put it down to

Building up a good immunity
Decent (but not over zealous) hygiene
Pure luck

I think I've probably had one or two in my adult life,quite a lot throughout childhood though. Last one was about 6 years ago!

Oh sorry following on, I do normally get about 1-2 common colds per year though.

I think all my noro (lots, seemingly) was P2P transmission, not food-borne. Small children are super shedders, anyway. There are lots of times 1xDC got a sick bug & most our family escaped it, so our hygiene measures can't be useless.

I am rarely ill from anything else that is supposed to be contagious. Few colds, for instance.

My stomach is cast iron WRT food that is slightly off. Mouldy cheese is no challenge; left-out-overnight (or 2) rice is fine, mouldy bread tastes foul but doesn't make me ill. I can't recall a single time I was sick from food I've eaten.

If somebody is picking up bugs regularly and they are over 18, they need to rethink their kitchen hygiene.

My kitchen - indeed my whole home - is extremely clean. My family are rarely I’ll. But I pick up bugs incredibly easily! I can go to a restaurant and get food poisoning when no one else at the table does. I’m super sensitive to food, can never eat ready meals (I suspect it’s the additives that bother me) or any sort of industrially made sandwich.

Haven't had a stomach bug since childhood (I'm 35) although have emet so I'm never sick anyway. Used to get a cold maybe once or twice a year but having DC it's a lot more. Had a chest infection last year and have had flu once about 15 years ago

Last time was 8/9 yrs ago, it was food poisoning from cheese. Before that 5yrs prior, food poisoning from a readymeal.

Not sure what blood type i am but as an emetophobe i run a mile from the mere mention of norovirus so maybe ive dodged it that way.

Never until kids went to nursery and then 3 sickness bugs in 3 years.

I don't remember the last time I had a sick bug, at least a few years ago. The DCs have had a sick bug probably once each in the last 2-3 years, and they don't tend to pass it to the rest of the family somehow so we haven't all been down at once since DD1 was a baby- 6 years ago.

Never pre DS so I was 35 before having one. Since then probably 1 or 2 a year but he’s 7 now and we haven’t had one for a year or so. Fingers crossed it stays that way!

I haven't had a stomach bug since 2007

I can honestly say I don't ever recall having a stomach bug. Had a virus about 10 years ago which was the last time time I had sick leave from work.

Almost never. I seem to have an iron constitution and am rarely ill. I had flu about 5 years ago but that's about it. I can also eat anything when traveling. Strange boast!

Ditch the antibacs entirely. Most D&V episodes are caused by viruses. Antibac kills bacteria, not viruses. Unless the antibac states that it is effective against viruses, it will not protect you from them.

Good hand-hygiene and good food-hygiene are the most effective protections against D&V bugs. IE frequent, thorough washing of hands and surfaces with soap or detergent and air-drying or drying with a clean towel, good storage of food and prevention of cross-contamination.

Adding probiotic foods to your diet also helps support your gut and immune system (live yogurt is the easiest way).

You seem to be getting ill unreasonably frequently. Has your doctor investigated this? Any evidence (IE lab cultures) of what is actually causing the sickness bugs?