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Summary
Noroviruses are a group of related viruses. Infection with these viruses causes an illness called gastroenteritis, an inflammation of the stomach and intestines. It can spread from person to person, or through contaminated food or water. You can also get it if you touch a contaminated surface. Norovirus can be serious, especially for young children and older adults.
The most common symptoms of norovirus infection are:
- Diarrhea
- Nausea and vomiting
- Stomach pain
Other symptoms may include fever, headache or body aches.
Treatment includes bed rest and lots of liquids to prevent dehydration. There is no specific medicine to treat norovirus infections.
Proper hand washing and safe food preparation may help prevent infections.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Diagnosis and Tests
-
Bacteria Culture Test
(National Library of Medicine)
Also in Spanish
- Stool Tests (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
Prevention and Risk Factors
- Hand Washing: Do's and Dont's (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
- How to Prevent Norovirus (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
Specifics
- Cruise Ship Illness Frequently Asked Questions (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
Statistics and Research
- Norovirus Facts and Stats (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
Clinical Trials
-
ClinicalTrials.gov: Gastroenteritis
(National Institutes of Health)
-
ClinicalTrials.gov: Norovirus
(National Institutes of Health)
Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
Find an Expert
Children
- Collecting a Stool Sample for Testing (For Parents) (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
- Norovirus (For Parents) (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
Patient Handouts
- Norovirus - hospital (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
The information on this site should not be used as a substitute for professional medical care or advice. Contact a health care provider if you have questions about your health.