Tips from the Poop Deck
Being sick is no fun when you’re at home. It’s even worse when you’re ill on your gay-cation — especially on a crowded Caribbean cruise. Let’s face it: It’s hard to hit on the towel boy when you have explosive diarrhea and you’re trying not to barf into your mai tai.
Our community is extremely fond of traveling. Almost a third of LGBT men and women took five or more trips in a 12-month timeframe according to a 2014 report by Community Marketing and Insights, Inc. Sadly, the fact is that outbreaks of gastrointestinal illnesses also occur in 3–6 out of every 1000 cruise voyages. A recent study in January found that this rate equates to about 15–27 cruise outbreaks per year, and one virus in particular was found to be the cause of over 90 percent of them. The culprit? Norovirus.
Norovirus does an excellent job of making of us sick, and it packs a punch.
It can successfully infect you with less than 100 virus particles, incubating in your sunscreen-slathered body for up to 48 hours before causing gastroenteritis — a fancy medical term for having diarrhea, vomiting, lethargy, and other unpleasant gastrointestinal symptoms. And this isn’t just your run-of-the-mill diarrhea and vomiting. We’re talking projectile vomiting and explosive diarrhea, the kind that occurs when you least expect it, leading to an embarrassing (and messy) scene on deck.
These effects can generally last for a miserable 24–72 hours. Patients typically run into problems when they start to lose so much fluid from their vomiting and diarrhea that they become dehydrated. If left untreated, they eventually need to find medical care where they may need to get IV fluids.
Norovirus and other pathogens can turn your voyage plans upside down, creating a gayer and more nauseating version of The Poseidon Adventure. But how can we avoid getting sick?
Norovirus enters your body through your mouth, and it typically hitches a ride in vomit and feces. Therefore, these fluids need to find a way into your mouth, typically by clinging to your hands. As such, it is important to wash your hands with soap and water whenever you use the restroom or before you eat so that you can clean off any norovirus that may have found its way onto your mitts. Since there are many public surfaces on cruise ships, it would also be wise to simply wash your hands before you ever touch your face or mouth.
Truthfully, you should be washing your hands regularly regardless of whether you’re on a ship or on land (or on vacation for that matter). Even if you fancy yourself a “dirty” guy or gal, proper hygiene doesn’t need to take a vacation too. If you want, you can also use alcohol-based hand sanitizer too, but it still needs to be used along with proper hand washing.
If you end up becoming sick, it’s important to avoid spreading your illness to others. This means washing your hands frequently just as described above. It’s also a good idea to disinfect surfaces that could’ve been contaminated, such as bathroom fixtures and doorknobs. Believe it or not, these tips actually apply to all pathogens that cause gastroenteritis, not just norovirus.
If you are indeed sick, it would be worth contacting your ship’s medical office, as they may be able to suggest or prescribe some anti-diarrhea medications or other drugs that can help prevent you from getting dehydrated. Most importantly, you can remain hydrated by drinking plenty of fluids with electrolytes, such as sports drinks. And no, piña coladas and daiquiris don’t count as rehydration fluids.
The fact that norovirus can be transmitted through feces brings up a touchy subject. Rimming (or analingus) has actually contributed to outbreaks of foodborne illnesses in the LGBT community, transmitting pathogens via the fecal-oral route. Such infections can include bacteria like Salmonella and Shigella, viruses like Hepatitis A, and even parasites such as Giardia. Since norovirus can be transmitted through the fecal-oral route too, it is reasonable to assume that it can also spread this way.
To avoid transmission during your naughty nautical exploits, you should refrain from oral-anal contact if your partner is currently having diarrhea. Since diarrhea is a very unsexy malady in itself, this avoidance may not be difficult to accomplish. Still, it’s also a good idea to forego analingus for some time afterward since your partner could still have norovirus in their feces for up to two weeks after their symptoms go away. You can also try barrier devices like dental dams to reduce infection risk.
Believe me, dodging intimacy or using dental dams on a romantic cruise may not be the most attractive option — but hey, there’s always shuffleboard to occupy your time.
Norovirus and other pathogens that cause gastroenteritis can wreak havoc on your cruise, but the tips outlined above can help prevent your trip from becoming a maritime disaster. If you have questions, it’s always a good idea to talk to your doctor or pharmacist to learn more about what you can do to prevent getting and spreading disease. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also has excellent resources regarding norovirus and other pathogens on their website for your perusal. With those tools in mind, you will be able sit back, relax, and enjoy your glorious, diarrhea-free gay-cation.
