From the Guidelines
Norovirus is the virus most commonly known for causing gastroenteritis in adults with short incubation periods, typically within 12-48 hours after exposure. This highly contagious virus is characterized by acute onset, nonbloody diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, and abdominal cramps, as described in the updated norovirus outbreak management and disease prevention guidelines 1. According to the 2017 Infectious Diseases Society of America clinical practice guidelines for the diagnosis and management of infectious diarrhea, norovirus is the leading cause of illness, exceeding Salmonella enterica subspecies, and is associated with nearly 1 million ambulatory care visits and 14,000 hospitalizations annually 1.
Key Characteristics of Norovirus
- Incubation period: 12-48 hours
- Symptoms: acute onset, nonbloody diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, and abdominal cramps
- Transmission: contaminated food, water, surfaces, or direct contact with infected individuals
- Treatment: primarily supportive, focusing on maintaining hydration with oral rehydration solutions or intravenous fluids
- Prevention: thorough handwashing with soap and water, as alcohol-based sanitizers are less effective against norovirus
High-Risk Groups
- Elderly
- Young children
- Immunocompromised individuals
These groups may experience more severe illness requiring medical attention. The virus is particularly problematic because it's resistant to many common disinfectants and requires only a small number of viral particles to cause infection. Most people recover within 1-3 days without complications, but prevention measures such as handwashing and proper food preparation and storage are crucial to reducing the spread of norovirus 1.
From the Research
Virus Causing Gastroenteritis in Adults
- Norovirus is known for causing gastroenteritis in adults with short incubation periods, typically lasting 24-48 hours 2.
- The incubation period of norovirus genogroups I and II is estimated to be around 1.2 days (95% CI 1.1-1.2 days) 3.
- Norovirus affects people of all ages and is often transmitted by faecally contaminated food or water 4.
- Clinical symptoms of norovirus infection range from mild diarrhoea to life-threatening dehydration 5.
- Treatment strategies for norovirus gastroenteritis have been suggested, including nitazoxanide, ribavirin, and enterally administered immunoglobulin, but further research is needed 2.
Incubation Periods of Viral Gastroenteritis
- The median incubation period for astrovirus is 4.5 days (95% CI 3.9-5.2 days), while for sapovirus it is 1.7 days (95% CI 1.5-1.8 days), and for rotavirus it is 2.0 days (95% CI 1.4-2.4 days) 3.
- The incubation period of viral gastroenteritis can vary depending on the type of virus and other factors 3.
Treatment and Prevention
- Oral rehydration solutions such as Pedialyte, Gatorade, and New Oral Rehydration Solution (N-ORS) can be effective in treating dehydration associated with viral gastroenteritis 6.
- Vaccines against rotavirus have been licensed and used in universal mass vaccination programs, but vaccines against human norovirus disease are still under development 5.