Flu shot: Will it prevent the stomach flu?
I got the flu shot last year, but I still got the stomach flu. Why should I bother getting it again this year if it doesn't work?
- No name / No state given
Answer
The flu shot protects against influenza, which isn't the same thing as the stomach flu (gastroenteritis). Gastroenteritis is an infection caused by a variety of viruses, including rotaviruses and noroviruses. Although it is often called the stomach flu, it is not caused by influenza viruses.
Real flu (influenza) attacks your respiratory system — your nose, throat and lungs — causing fever, muscle aches, coughing and congestion. Gastroenteritis, on the other hand, attacks your intestines, causing symptoms such as watery diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and stomach cramps.
No vaccine is available for gastroenteritis with the exception of a newly released rotavirus vaccine called RotaTeq, an oral vaccine for infants. However, you can reduce your risk of gastroenteritis by frequent and thorough hand washing.
The flu vaccine is the most effective way to reduce your risk of getting influenza.
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