Norovirus

•         What is the infectious agent (pathogen) that causes this infectious disease? For example, the name of the bacteria, virus, or parasite.

Norwalk virus, a genus that is part of the Caliciviridae family and is a single-stranded RNA virus without an envelope. It is the most common cause of epidemic outbreaks of gastroenteritis in the developed world. It is highly contagious and is commonly associated with rapid spreading outbreaks of food poisoning in confined populations such as cruise ships and nursing homes. Norovirus is known by many different names. You may have heard it called food poisoning, the stomach flu, a stomach bug, gastroenteritis. It’s all the same thing. However, it is not related to the flu (influenza) virus, which is a respiratory virus. The norovirus is a gastro virus restricted to gastro-intestinal region with symptoms of diarrhea, vomiting, nausea and stomach cramps. Because it’s so resilient and hard to kill, care must be taken around food. Care must also be taken around anyone with the virus as it is very easily spread from person to person.

•         How is this infectious agent transmitted through food or water?

Norovirus is highly contagious and extremely resistant. It is most commonly spread through direct physical contact, fecal-oral contaminated foods, or even aerosol exposure of the virus. It is highly infectious which means only a small number of infectious organisms are required to cause clinical disease. Due to its lack of an envelope, the virus is extremely stable in the environment and can resist freezing, heating up to 60 C, and several cleaning solutions such as chlorine, alcohol, and vinegars. Outbreaks have been linked to sick food handlers, contaminated shellfish or water contaminated with sewage. It is generally spread from person to person by direct contact, but it can also be spread through the air during vomiting. If someone gets stool or vomit on their hands and then touched food or drinks, it can...