ABSTRACT
Abstract ................................................................................................. 206 8.1 Introduction .................................................................................. 206 8.2 Biological Characteristics ............................................................ 207 8.3 Pathogenesis ................................................................................. 210 8.4 Norovirus Illness .......................................................................... 210 8.5 Epidemiology ............................................................................... 211 8.6 Laboratory Testing ....................................................................... 212 8.7 Treatment ..................................................................................... 218 8.8 Prevention .................................................................................... 218 8.9 Lessons Learned from Norovirus Outbreaks and
Surveillance Information ............................................................. 220 Acknowledgments ................................................................................. 232 Keywords .............................................................................................. 232 References ............................................................................................. 232
YUAN HU1* and HAIFENG CHEN2*
1Northeast Region Laboratory, Office of Regulatory Affairs, Food and Drug Administration, Jamaica, NY, USA
2Division of Molecular Biology, Office of Applied Research and Safety Assessment, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, Food and Drug Administration, Laurel, MD, USA
*Corresponding author. E-mail: yuan.hu@fda.hhs.gov; haifeng.chen@fda.hhs.gov
ABSTRACT
Human norovirus is a major cause of foodborne acute gastroenteritis and poses a significant public health concern worldwide. The detection and identification of norovirus in clinical specimens, food, and environmental samples have been mainly determined by molecular methods. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) has become a method of choice for molecular detection of norovirus in terms of sensitivity, specificity, and assay turnaround time. The rapidly emerging application of whole-genome sequencing (WGS) provides maximum resolution for nucleic acid-based characterization of norovirus strains, which will tremendously improve our ability to detect foodborne disease outbreaks. In the absence of licensed vaccines, the ways to control and prevent norovirus infection still relies on good person and food hygiene, good industrial/ agricultural practice, effective product management, and development of improved monitoring techniques for detecting the virus.
