Brief: Norovirus

Norovirus is the leading cause of vomiting and diarrhea in the United States, with an estimated 19-21 million illnesses every year according to the CDC. Norovirus impacts people in all age groups—it is the leading cause of foodborne illness in the U.S., and a frequent cause of outbreaks in schools, daycares, long-term care facilities, and cruise ships. 

Norovirus was first identified in 1968, and is actually a collection of many viruses that are classified into ten genogroups. Of these genogroups, only four can infect humans (GI, GII, GIV, and GIX). While the GI and GII genotypes together cause the majority of outbreaks in humans, GII has caused between 65 – 80% of the globally reported norovirus infections since 1995. Norovirus GII also has a higher mutation rate than GI.

In this brief, you’ll learn why wastewater is an important source of norovirus data and how Biobot is gathering wastewater intelligence data around norovirus to help inform population health efforts.