About Norovirus

About Norovirus:

• Norovirus is a common and highly contagious virus that causes inflammation in the stomach and intestines, a condition known as gastroenteritis.
• It is also sometimes referred to as the ‘stomach flu’ or the ‘winter vomiting bug’.
• People of all ages can get infected and sick with norovirus, which spreads very easily and quickly.
• These viruses are responsible for about 90% of viral gastroenteritis outbreaks and close to 50% of cases across the world.
• You can get norovirus illness many times in your life because there are many different types of noroviruses.
• Transmission:
  • They are commonly spread through food or water that is contaminated during preparation or through contaminated surfaces. 
  • Noroviruses can also spread through close contact with a person who has a norovirus infection.
• Symptoms:
  • The initial symptoms of norovirus are vomiting and/or diarrhoea, which show up one or two days after exposure to the virus.
  • Patients also feel nauseous, and suffer from abdominal pain, fever, headaches and body aches.
  • In extreme cases, loss of fluids could lead to dehydration.
• Treatment:
  • No vaccines are currently available to prevent norovirus. Treatment for the infection focuses on relieving your symptoms.
  • It is important to maintain hydration in the acute phase.
  • In extreme cases, patients have to be administered rehydration fluids intravenously.

Q1: What is a Virus?

A virus is an infectious microbe consisting of a segment of nucleic acid (either DNA or RNA) surrounded by a protein coat. A virus cannot replicate alone; instead, it must infect cells and use components of the host cell to make copies of itself. Often, a virus ends up killing the host cell in the process, causing damage to the host organism.

Source: LM