| Norovirus | |
|---|---|
| Other names | Winter vomiting bug,[1] stomach bug |
 | |
| Transmission electron micrograph of Norwalk virus. The white bar = 50 nm. | |
| Specialty | Emergency medicine, pediatrics |
| Symptoms | Diarrhea, vomiting, stomach pain, headache[2] |
| Complications | Dehydration[2] |
| Usual onset | 12 to 48 hours after exposure[2] |
| Duration | 1 to 3 days[2] |
| Causes | Norovirus[3] |
| Diagnostic method | Based on symptoms[3] |
| Prevention | Hand washing, disinfection of contaminated surfaces[4] |
| Treatment | Supportive care (drinking sufficient fluids or intravenous fluids)[5] |
| Frequency | 685 million cases per year[6] |
| Deaths | 200,000 per year[6][7] |
Norovirus, also known as Norwalk virus and sometimes referred to as the winter vomiting disease, is the most common cause of gastroenteritis.[1][6] Infection is characterized by non-bloody diarrhea, vomiting, and stomach pain.[2][3] Fever or headaches may also occur.[2] Symptoms usually develop 12 to 48 hours after being exposed, and recovery typically occurs within one to three days.[2] Complications are uncommon, but may include dehydration, especially in the young, the old, and those with other health problems.[2]
The virus is usually spread by the fecal–oral route.[3] This may be through contaminated food or water or person-to-person contact.[3] It may also spread via contaminated surfaces or through air from the vomit of an infected person.[3] Risk factors include unsanitary food preparation and sharing close quarters.[3] Diagnosis is generally based on symptoms.[3] Confirmatory testing is not usually available but may be performed by public health agencies during outbreaks.[3]
Prevention involves proper hand washing and disinfection of contaminated surfaces.[4] There is no vaccine or specific treatment for norovirus.[4][5] Management involves supportive care such as drinking sufficient fluids or intravenous fluids.[5] Oral rehydration solutions are the preferred fluids to drink, although other drinks without caffeine or alcohol can help.[5] Alcohol-based hand sanitizers are not effective against the norovirus, according to the NHS information page on the subject;[8] this is due to norovirus being a non-enveloped virus.
Norovirus results in about 685 million cases of disease and 200,000 deaths globally a year.[6][7] It is common both in the developed and developing world.[3][9] Those under the age of five are most often affected, and in this group it results in about 50,000 deaths in the developing world.[6] Norovirus infections occur more commonly during winter months.[6] It often occurs in outbreaks, especially among those living in close quarters.[3] In the United States, it is the cause of about half of all foodborne disease outbreaks.[3] The virus is named after the city of Norwalk, Ohio, US, where an outbreak occurred in 1968.[10]
- ^ a b "Norovirus (vomiting bug)". nhs.uk. 19 October 2017. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 8 June 2018.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Norovirus Symptoms". CDC. 24 June 2016. Archived from the original on 6 December 2018. Retrieved 29 December 2017.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Brunette GW (2017). CDC Yellow Book 2018: Health Information for International Travel. Oxford University Press. p. 269. ISBN 9780190628611. Archived from the original on 7 October 2022. Retrieved 5 September 2020.
- ^ a b c "Preventing Norovirus Infection". CDC. 5 May 2017. Archived from the original on 9 December 2017. Retrieved 29 December 2017.
- ^ a b c d "Norovirus – Treatment". CDC. Archived from the original on 22 December 2017. Retrieved 29 December 2017.
- ^ a b c d e f "Norovirus Worldwide". CDC. 15 December 2017. Archived from the original on 7 December 2018. Retrieved 29 December 2017.
- ^ a b "Global Burden of Norovirus and Prospects for Vaccine Development" (PDF). CDC. August 2015. p. 3. Archived (PDF) from the original on 29 December 2017. Retrieved 29 December 2017.
- ^ "Norovirus (vomiting bug)". nhs.uk. 19 October 2017. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
- ^ Nguyen GT, Phan K, Teng I, Pu J, Watanabe T (October 2017). "A systematic review and meta-analysis of the prevalence of norovirus in cases of gastroenteritis in developing countries". Medicine. 96 (40): e8139. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000008139. PMC 5738000. PMID 28984764.
- ^ Vesikari, Timo (2021). "25. Norovirus vaccines in pipeline development". In Vesikari, Timo; Damme, Pierre Van (eds.). Pediatric Vaccines and Vaccinations: A European Textbook (Second ed.). Switzerland: Springer. pp. 289–292. ISBN 978-3-030-77172-0.