Gastroenteritis — the most common cause of diarrhoea — is highly infectious, and mostly spread by contact with another person who has the illness, or from contaminated food. These measures can help to stop the spread: wash hands frequently using a good handwashing technique follow proper food-safety practices if a household member has diarrhoea, they should not prepare food for the other members, and everyone should follow regular handwashing and hygiene practices someone who has diarrhoea should not visit hospitals, aged care facilities, or swimming pools babies can be vaccinated against rotavirus.