The research: Researchers at the University of Arizona exposed the virus to carvacrol and found the oregano component breaks down the infectious disease’s protective protein coating, leaving its delicate genetic material unprotected. “Carvacrol also breaks down the virus’s RNA, leaving little behind that is recognizable as the virus particle,” says study coauthor Kelly Bright, PhD, an environmental scientist. What it means: According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 1 in 15 people are infected with norovirus each year. And while the symptoms typically fade within a few days, roughly 60,000 of them will end up in the hospital, particularly older adults and children. Outbreaks in nursing homes or schools can be life threatening, the CDC says. But Dr. Bright and her colleagues’ research may soon lead to new uses for carvacrol in health products like hand sanitizer or surface cleaners—or even to treat and decontaminate food, she says. The bottom line: Unfortunately, you can’t protect yourself from norovirus by eating a lot of oregano. While Dr. Bright and her fellow researchers work on sanitation uses for the herb, the CDC recommends thoroughly washing your hands and rinsing fruits and vegetables to help ward off norovirus infections. And if you or someone you live with does develop the virus, the CDC advises that you wash any clothing that comes in contact with vomit or stool immediately in hot water on the longest cycle. More from Prevention: Should Norovirus Keep You Away from Cruise Ships?
