Gastrointestinal Illness
Gastrointestinal (GI) illnesses are also known as enterics
We typically see the majority of GI illnesses during the summer months in Mesa County.
They are caused by a variety of germs that can easily spread through:
- Consumption of contaminated food or beverages.
- Exposure to contaminated recreational water.
- Contact with infected animals or their environments.
- Close contact with infected individuals.
General prevention
- Handle food safely: Store and prepare food properly. Explore other food safety tips on the CDC website.
- Stay out of the kitchen when sick: Do not prepare food for others when you are sick.
- Wash your hands frequently : Use soap and water, especially before eating or preparing food
- Avoid untreated water: Avoid swallowing water when swimming or kayaking, and don’t drink untreated water.
Contact your healthcare provider if you have diarrhea that has lasted for over three days, if you have a high fever, have blood in your stool, or if you are becoming dehydrated from having diarrhea or vomiting.
Most common GI illnesses in Mesa County
It is a very contagious virus that causes vomiting and diarrhea.
Symptoms
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Nausea
- Stomach pain
- Fever
- Headache
- Body ache
Symptoms may begin one to three days after exposure to the virus (usually two days). Most people will recover without treatment in one to three days. There is no specific treatment although fluids are important to prevent dehydration. No immunization is available.
How it spreads
- Contaminated hands, surfaces, or food: The virus spreads easily when hands aren’t washed well after using the restroom or changing diapers.
- Person-to-person contact: Touching shared objects or surfaces can spread the virus.
- Vomiting events: Tiny virus particles can enter the air when someone vomits and land on surfaces or be inhaled nearby.
- Animals do not carry or spread norovirus.
- Norovirus is the most common cause of gastroenteritis in child care and school settings.
It is an infectious disease that affects the stomach and intestines. It is one of the most common diarrheal illnesses in the United States.
Symptoms
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Diarrhea (sometimes bloody)
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Fever
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Abdominal cramps
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Diarrhea may be accompanied by nausea and vomiting
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Symptoms usually begin 2-5 days after ingesting the bacteria and typically last one week
How it spreads
The bacteria can be ingested from contaminated hands, objects, food and water. People who become infected with Campylobacter will have the bacteria in their poop. People who are infected can spread it by not properly washing their hands after using the restroom or changing diapers and then handling food that others will eat or objects that others will put in their mouths.
Other common sources of Campylobacter include:
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Raw or undercooked meat (especially poultry)
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Unpasteurized milk
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Pets, mainly puppies and kittens, can be infected and can spread the bacteria to you through feces
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Other animals such as cattle and chickens can also carry Campylobacter
These bacteria can cause severe illness and even death. Some E. coli are harmless and live in human digestive tracts, however, certain E. coli can cause illness.
Symptoms
- Stomach cramps
- Diarrhea
- Bloody diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Fever
- Illness may range from mild to life threatening
In some cases, people diagnosed with STEC may develop a complication known as hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) which may lead to kidney failure, permanent damage or death. Very young children and the elderly are more likely to develop severe illness.
How it spreads
- Eating food that has been contaminated
- Consuming unpasteurized milk or products made with unpasteurized milk
- Drinking contaminated water
- Swallowing lake water or other untreated water
- Contact with livestock, especially if you have contact with livestock poop, including petting zoos
- Contact with feces of people infected with STEC
It is a bacteria that can cause infections affecting the intestinal tract, urinary tract, bloodstream or other body tissues.
Symptoms
- Diarrhea
- Fever
- Abdominal cramps
- Most people will develop symptoms about six to 72 hours after exposure to the bacteria
- Most illnesses with Salmonella will last four to seven days
- Some infections may be severe and require hospitalization
How it spreads
Salmonella is usually spread to people through eating contaminated food. Salmonella can be found in many places in our foods and our environment. The bacteria can be found in raw meats, eggs, and unpasteurized dairy products.
Salmonella infections may happen through handling/contact with certain animals or their poop. Animals such as poultry, livestock, dogs, cats, and reptiles may carry Salmonella and spread it to people.
Resources for childcare providers and camp administrators
What to look for
- An outbreak is more illness than expected in a facility over a specific period of time.
- Some illnesses have defined thresholds, and for rare or serious conditions, a single case may be considered an outbreak.
- All outbreaks are reportable to public health in Colorado.
- Early reporting helps public health quickly assess the situation and provide guidance to reduce the spread of illness.
How to report it
- If you notice an increase in illness or similar symptoms in your facility, please complete our secure, HIPAA-compliant Outbreak Report Form.
- Report illness outbreaks to our team within four hours after the outbreak is detected.
Outbreak Report Form instructions
*Testing results and a formal diagnosis can be helpful but are not required to submit a report.
If you need to speak to one of our Disease Surveillance Team members directly, you can reach us by calling 970-248-6900 or our on call Epi at 970-254-4120.
What to expect
- A member of the Disease Surveillance Team will contact you by phone or email and provide additional guidance on how to prevent spread of the illness and clarify exclusion recommendations.
- You will also be asked to update the online outbreak list with new cases as they develop and they will also let you know how many days with no illness are required to end the outbreak.
You can find additional resources on CDPHE’s website for childcare and school settings. Colorado’s 2026 Welcome to Summer Camp Toolkit offers guidance for disease control and outbreak response in the camp setting.
Learn about other types of GI illnesses
What is it?
Cryptosporidium is a parasite known to cause illness that affects the stomach. The parasite can make both humans and animals sick. Cryptosporidium, or "Crypto" for short, can be found in water, food, soil or on surfaces or hands that have been contaminated with the feces of humans or animals infected with the parasite.
What are the symptoms?
Symptoms of Cryptosporidium infection generally begin two to 10 days (average seven days) after being exposed to the parasite. Symptoms include:
- Watery diarrhea
- Stomach cramps or pain
- Dehydration
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Fever
- Weight loss
Symptoms usually last about one to two weeks (with a range of a few days to four or more weeks) in people with healthy immune systems. Some people with Cryptosporidium will have no symptoms at all.
How does it spread?
People must swallow or eat the parasite to become infected. Cryptosporidium is usually spread through the following:
- Drinking or swallowing water from swimming pools or hot tubs. Cryptosporidium is a very hardy parasite and can survive in treated water.
- People who become infected will have the parasite in their stool. People who are infected and do not wash their hands after using the bathroom or changing diapers can spread the parasite.
- Cattle and some pets, including dogs and cats, can be infected and spread the parasite to you through their poop.
- Contact with an infected person’s poop during sexual activity can spread the parasite to others.
What is it?
It is a bacteria that causes a disease called shigellosis.
What are the symptoms of Shigella?
People who get a Shigella infection will usually begin to have symptoms of illness about one to two days after encountering the bacteria.
Symptoms include:
- Diarrhea (sometimes bloody)
- Fever
- Stomach pain
- Feeling the need to poop even when bowels are empty
Symptoms usually last five to seven days, but can sometimes persist for weeks.
Some people may not have symptoms at all, but can still pass the bacteria to others.
How is Shigella spread?
Shigella is very contagious and just a few bacteria can make people sick. Shigella can be spread by people getting germs on their hands and then touching their food or their mouth or by eating food that was prepared by someone who is sick with Shigellosis.
Other sources may include:
- Changing diapers of an ill child or caring for someone who is sick with Shigella
- Swallowing recreational water while swimming in a lake or river
- Having exposure to stool during sexual contact with someone who is sick or has recently been sick with Shigella
What is it?
It is a microscopic parasite that causes the diarrheal illness known as giardiasis.
What are the symptoms of Giardia?
Symptoms can begin three to 25 days after ingesting the Giardia parasite. Symptoms include:
- Diarrhea and greasy feces
- Stomach cramping, bloating and passing gas
- Fatigue, loss of appetite, and weight loss
- Symptoms may last two to six weeks, they may come and go, and occasionally last longer
How is it spread?
Giardia is found in the stool of infected humans, wild animals and pets. Giardia spreads when infected people do not wash their hands thoroughly after using the bathroom or from having contact with ill people. People with Giardia infection who go swimming when they have diarrhea can contaminate recreational water such as lakes or rivers, as well as swimming pools. Animals with Giardia infection also can contaminate water. Giardia infection can come from swallowing contaminated water.
What is it?
Cyclosporiasis is an intestinal illness caused by a parasite.
What are the symptoms?
People who are infected with Cyclospora may or may not experience symptoms. Cyclospora infects the small intestine and usually causes watery diarrhea with frequent and sometimes explosive bowel movements.
If not treated, the illness may last from a few days to over a month. Symptoms may seem to go away and then return one or more times.
How it spreads?
It spreads when people eat food or drink water that was contaminated with poop.
It takes at least one to two weeks in the environment for Cyclospora to become infectious after passing in a bowel movement. Direct person-to-person transmission is unlikely.