What is sapovirus? Christina Applegate reveals suffering from health issues amid MS battle

Christina Applegate recently revealed that she was facing multiple illnesses amidst her battle with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). In the April 23 episode of Applegate and The Sopranos star Jamie-Lynn Sigler's MeSsy podcast, the actress revealed that she recently had COVID for the first time. Applegate also shared that she contracted sapovirus from contaminated food. She mentioned that she had to get a test done and said:

"Anywho, (test) came back (and) I had something called sapovirus. It is when you ingest the fecal matter of someone else from your food."

Sapovirus is an RNA virus that can cause acute gastroenteritis and is transmitted via feces, vomit, and contaminated objects and food. Symptoms of the viral infection include diarrhea, vomiting, headaches, and more. The virus can lead to additional complications in those suffering from chronic illnesses.

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Sapovirus infections can cause acute gastroenteritis

According to the Hong Kong Center for Health Protection, sapovirus belongs to the Caliciviridae family of viruses. It is a single-stranded RNA virus that can cause acute gastroenteritis. The virus has been detected in water and shellfish and although the disease can affect people of all ages, children are at the highest risk of contracting it.

The disease can be transmitted via contaminated water and food, objects contaminated by the virus, and through the feces and vomit of a person infected with sapovirus.

Symptoms of the disease include abdominal cramps, chills, myalgia, headache, malaise, diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting, as per the Hong Kong Center for Health Protection. Healthy patients usually recover within a few days, however, individuals with chronic illnesses may experience severe complications.

There are no vaccines available to treat sapovirus yet. However, it can be prevented by maintaining good environmental hygiene and personal hygiene. This includes adequately washing and rinsing hands, maintaining good indoor ventilation, maintaining drainage facilities, and more.

Maintaining hygiene with it comes to food also helps to prevent one from contracting sapovirus. All utensils used to prepare food must be kept clean, individuals must ensure they drink boiled water, and always thoroughly cook food before consumption.

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Christina Applegate announced her MS diagnosis in 2021

Back in August 2021, Christina Applegate revealed her Multiple Sclerosis (MS) diagnosis via a tweet. She mentioned that she had been diagnosed with the condition a few months ago and that others with the same condition had been offering her their support.

"It’s been a tough road. But as we all know, the road keeps going," she said.

Christina Applegate's revelation (Image via X/@1capplegate)

During the April 23 episode of Christina Applegate and Jamie-Lynn Sigler's MeSsy podcast, the 52-year-old actress opened up about her other health struggles amidst her battle with the neurodegenerative disease.

Christina Applegate revealed that she earlier got "the Covies" (COVID) during the episode. She mentioned that someone close to her "dropped the ball" after they went to a bowling alley and came back home with the virus.

Christina initially thought she was going to recover quickly as she initially only had a headache and chills. However, her heart soon began racing and she also had a chest infection.

"It turned into long COVID and it turned into a chest infection and then my heart was doing weird stuff, where it just speeds up all of a sudden while I'm just sitting here," she said.

Applegate continued to feel sick and dizzy for a while, after which she took a stool test and was diagnosed with sapovirus. Christina Applegate mentioned that she believes she caught the virus after eating a takeout salad from an establishment whose name she did not reveal.