Severe Stomach Viruses May Be Spread Through Saliva

A recent study published in Nature demonstrated that viruses causing significant stomach distress—including norovirus and rotavirus—are transmitted via saliva. Stomach viruses were initially thought to only exist in the intestines. However, the study authors—who are from the National Institutes of Health—discovered that infant mice with norovirus or rotavirus infected their mothers through saliva passed during breastfeeding. These results need to be replicated in humans, but researchers believe the discovery may lead to improved diagnosis and treatment of such viruses, which affect billions of people across the globe each year. Click here to read more.