Norovirus Infection

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Medical Author:

Charles Patrick Davis, MD, PhD

Charles Patrick Davis, MD, PhD

Dr. Charles "Pat" Davis, MD, PhD, is a board certified Emergency Medicine doctor who currently practices as a consultant and staff member for hospitals. He has a PhD in Microbiology (UT at Austin), and the MD (Univ. Texas Medical Branch, Galveston). He is a Clinical Professor (retired) in the Division of Emergency Medicine, UT Health Science Center at San Antonio, and has been the Chief of Emergency Medicine at UT Medical Branch and at UTHSCSA with over 250 publications.

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Medical Editor:

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.

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• Norovirus Infection Overview
• Norovirus Infection Cause
• Norovirus Infection Symptoms and Signs
• When to Seek Medical Care
• Exams and Tests
• Treatment for Norovirus Infections
• Self-Care at Home
• Medical Treatment for Norovirus Infection
• Next Steps
• Follow-up
• Prevention
• For More Information
• Synonyms and Keywords
• Author and Editor
• Read more on Norovirus from Healthwise

Norovirus Infection Overview

Infection with norovirus causes a person to develop a rapid onset of nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and occasionally stomach cramping (all symptoms of gastroenteritis). In addition, the person may feel tired, have muscle aches, headache, and a low-grade fever (less than 101 F) with chills. The symptoms last about one to two days. Although no long-term problems persist or develop with this viral infection, dehydration (loss of body water) may be significant enough to require medical treatment.

Norovirus was probably first noticed by Dr. J. Zahorsky in 1929 and termed "winter vomiting disease." In 1968 in Norwalk, Ohio, there was an outbreak of gastroenteritis thought to be caused by a virus. The virus was termed the Norwalk agent (also termed particle or virus). It was classified as a "small round virus" and later, after genetic studies, classified as a member of the family Caliciviridae, with a single strand of RNA for its genome. The name of the genus, Norovirus, was approved in 2002 by an international committee.

Researchers suggest that norovirus is responsible for about 50% of all outbreaks of gastroenteritis in the U.S. and about 90% of epidemic nonbacterial gastroenteritis outbreaks worldwide. Most outbreaks or epidemics occur in places where people come together in close contact (for example, dorms, hospitals, prisons, cruise ships, schools, and nursing homes). Norovirus infections are transmitted person to person, by contaminated food and water, and by viruses on contaminated surfaces.