Orofécale

Orofécale, or fecal-oral, describes a route of transmission in which pathogens shed in feces contaminate food, water, surfaces, or hands and are ingested, leading to infection. The term is used in epidemiology and public health to explain how sanitation, hygiene, and safe food and water practices can interrupt transmission and reduce disease burden.

Common agents transmitted by the orofécale route include viruses (such as rotavirus, norovirus, adenoviruses types 40/41, and hepatitis A and E), bacteria (including Salmonella, Shigella, Campylobacter, and pathogenic Escherichia coli), and parasites (for example Giardia lamblia and Cryptosporidium). Transmission occurs through contaminated drinking water, raw or undercooked foods, shellfish from polluted waters, and contact with surfaces or hands contaminated with fecal material. Settings with higher risk include households with poor sanitation, daycare centers, healthcare facilities, and situations involving international travel to areas with limited sanitation infrastructure.

Prevention focuses on breaking the fecal-oral cycle. Key measures are access to safe drinking water, proper sewage and waste disposal, adequate water treatment, and rigorous hygiene practices such as handwashing with soap. Safe food handling, thorough cooking, and regular cleaning of utensils and surfaces are essential. Vaccination plays a role for certain pathogens, notably rotavirus and hepatitis A in appropriate populations. Public health strategies also emphasize surveillance, outbreak investigation, sanitation improvements, and health education to reduce transmission.