Norovirus

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Norovirus

In the world of viruses, norovirus is one of the most common. The public often confuse this virus with the stomach flu, which it is not. The truth of the matter is, norovirus is a contagious virus that can be passed on by an infected person, contaminated food or water, or coming in contact with contaminated surfaces.

The method, in which this virus is contacted, may be by eating food that a contaminated person, who has not washed their hands after using the restroom, has touched. The virus can also be passed on, from one person to the next, by touching items and counter tops that are contaminated, and the individual then touching their nose, mouth or eyes. The sharing of utensils, plates, and drinking glasses with an infected person, is another method in which an individual may become ill. Raw or undercooked vegetables and oysters also seem to be a contributing factor to some of the outbreaks of this illness.

Although a person's immune system can build antibodies against this virus. Due to the number of different types of norovirus the immune system of a human is not capable of preventing an individual from contracting this virus more than once. However, it is possible to build immunity against a particular type of norovirus that a person has contacted, even though doctors do not know how long the immunities last.NOROVIRUS 3

According to Dr. Michael Huey, assistant vice president and executive director of Emory University Student Health and Counseling Service in Atlanta Georgia, between November 12,

2014 and November 14, 2014, as many as eighty-nine students became infected with norovirus ("Food Safety News", 2014). The "Food Safety News" (2014) website stated that at the same time as the outbreak in Georgia was occurring, eighteen students at the University of Virginia were hospitalized with norovirus and a lot more were becoming ill. Although both of these outbreaks are being investigated, the source of the virus is as yet undiscovered.

The symptoms of this virus can