There is no single countdown, and exposure does not mean you will become ill. Timing depends on the germ, exposure route and person. For example, CDC lists usual symptom onset of 12 to 48 hours for norovirus and 6 hours to 6 days for Salmonella; these are examples, not predictions for a particular sewage exposure. Other hazards can act differently, including immediate irritation from gases. Wash exposed skin promptly with soap and clean water. Contact a healthcare professional for illness after exposure, especially persistent vomiting or diarrhea, bloody stool, fever, dehydration or an infected wound. Leave the area and seek urgent help for breathing difficulty, fainting or suspected dangerous gas exposure.
Floods and sewage