The 411 on Norovirus

Recently, there have been several outbreaks of norovirus across the United States, making people from coast to coast violently ill. News reports from across the nation roll in almost daily showing that the numbers of affected people are on the rise. But what is norovirus, and how is it spreading so quickly?

According to the CDC, noroviruses (genus Norovirus, family Caliciviridae) are a group of related, single-stranded RNA, nonenveloped viruses that cause acute gastroenteritis in humans. The virus, also called Norwalk virus- named so for a famous outbreak of the virus in Norwalk, Ohio, in 1972, when the virus was first identified- is commonly found in contaminated food products, including shellfish and some varieties of produce. It is a highly contagious virus, generally spread through food borne outbreaks. Symptoms range from mild gastroenteritis (an inflammation of the stomach and intestines) to acute gastroenteritis, characterized by diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, and occasional stomach cramping. In addition, some people with lowered immune systems have reported low-grade fevers, chills, headaches, muscle aches, and general fatigue. Those who experience the full impact of this illness begin to feel the symptoms within a relatively short time, as soon as twelve hours, and the symptoms have an average duration of one to two days. Even after the illness has run its course, the effects can linger in the form of dehydration, but this is normally confined to very young children, the elderly, and those with weakened or compromised immune systems.