View Full Version : Sickness
alanthealan
06-11-2006, 20:12
Seems every year a bunch of hiker in one area of the trail or another get a stomach bug. Currently they are crawling into Hapers Ferry with it. It seems to hit all hikers without regard to their hiking style. Has anyone looked at this indepth? Please refer me to some sources.
orangebug
06-11-2006, 21:36
A few years ago, there was Norwalk Virus associated with a water tap on a convenience store in Central VA that caused GI events. The usual transmission of diarrhea pandemics is fecal oral vectors, chiefly via food or poor toilet hygiene. I would assume they will get to Harper's Ferry, rehydrate and rest their guts. If they choose to, they could consult with the local docs and decide if investigation is warranted.
Just Jeff
06-11-2006, 22:28
I'm skeptical of the fecal oral vector when people claim you get sick from not washing your hands after you poo. If it's in your poo, you're already sick and eating more virus won't make a difference. Will it?
Now if you let someone stick their hands into your GORP and they didn't wash their hands...
hikerjohnd
06-11-2006, 22:35
I'm skeptical of the fecal oral vector when people claim you get sick from not washing your hands after you poo. If it's in your poo, you're already sick and eating more virus won't make a difference. Will it?
Now if you let someone stick their hands into your GORP and they didn't wash their hands...
Thanks - now I'm sick and no where near the trail! :mad::mad::mad:
Footslogger
06-11-2006, 22:39
In 2003 it hit everyone coming into Irwin. There were people who had been at Miss Janets for well over a week and couldn't hike.
'Slogger
corentin
06-11-2006, 22:39
I'm skeptical of the fecal oral vector when people claim you get sick from not washing your hands after you poo. If it's in your poo, you're already sick and eating more virus won't make a difference. Will it?
There are a lot of things in my intestines I don't want to introduce directly into my mouth. The bacteria in your gut can do very, very bad things to the rest of your body. But please, feel free to experiment, let me know how that works out for you. Hope you have good health insurance.
Just Jeff
06-11-2006, 23:18
Well, I don't make a habit of getting poo on my hands, either. But if you feel the need... :p
Cleanliness is always a good habit, and hands pick up all kinds of germs just by touching things throughout the day - I don't argue that. But if you get giardia or the like from your poo, you already had it to begin with.
alanthealan
06-12-2006, 02:57
In 2003 it hit everyone coming into Irwin. There were people who had been at Miss Janets for well over a week and couldn't hike.
'Slogger
I got sick in erwin, and coming into catawba- wounder if anyone has ever tracked this.
Mr. Clean
06-12-2006, 06:22
The fecal from your backside is created in your intestines, so when it's introduced into your stomach, you're going to have problems until it can get flushed out. Use hand sanitizer after visiting the privy, guys and girls. In the case of the Harpers Ferry GIs, sounds like possibly a bad water source?
fishinfred
06-12-2006, 06:32
Seems every year a bunch of hiker in one area of the trail or another get a stomach bug. Currently they are crawling into Hapers Ferry with it. It seems to hit all hikers without regard to their hiking style. Has anyone looked at this indepth? Please refer me to some sources.
Last year (and the previous 3 yrs) seems ALOT of folks that were Hiking were getting sick in the stretch between Hampton thru Catawba ,at TDs last year someone (wish I could remember the name ) was searching out for others who had seen a Dr so the Dr.s could compare notes on this "Hiker Crud" that's out there (seems his friend was hospitalized and the drs werent sure what he had going on ) .I'm not sure what ever happened with that but maybe the person or persons who this relates to will see this and have something to add here .
I personally thought it was from not filtering water when they should have as I usually filter ALL my drinking water ,dont worry too much about the water I used for cooking and making coffee and I never ended up with the Crud.
But who knows?????
Could be the poo too.....:-?
FF
Frolicking Dinosaurs
06-12-2006, 06:51
E Coli (http://www.cdc.gov/NCIDOD/DBMD/diseaseinfo/escherichiacoli_g.htm)is among the natural flora of the intestinal track. I certainly don't want to get that into my stomach.
Given the fact that hikers who have made it to Harpers Ferry are getting sick in substantial numbers at the same location, I suspect a water source is the problem – likely one that contains something not easily killed by chemicals or filtered. These experienced hikers have been practicing adequate hygiene measures and water filter / purification techniques to get this point on the trail so I think it is unlikely that the fecal oral vector or grossly inadequate water treatment is to blame in this situation. It might be wise for those passing thru the area from Mount Rogers to Harpers Ferry to boil their water instead of relying on filters and chemicals given the fate of the hikers in Harpers Ferry.
Lone Wolf
06-12-2006, 07:45
Stay out of shelters and hostels cuz most are nasty. You won't get sick.
As an aside, the PATC just did a survey of stream health along the AT corridor in Northern Virginia. The results were good. The pollution in NoVa is down in the valleys...PCBs in the Shenandoah river and God knows what in the Potomac.