Norovirus infection in home and community settings

Noroviruses are the most common cause of gastroenteritis in the industrialized world and it is estimated that they are responsible for some 23 million infections each year in the United States. Home and community settings, including hospitals, are the common location for norovirus outbreaks although outbreaks in the home are underreported and under recognized. Person-to-person spread, either directly or via contaminated surfaces and contaminated food are the main routes of transmission of norovirus and therefore, prevention is based on effective hygiene practices, including hand hygiene, surface sanitation and food safety.

This brochure prepared by the Simmons Centre for Hygiene and Health, Boston, USA, gives guidelines on hygiene measures which can reduce the norovirus in the home and community: http://www.simmons.edu/hygieneandhealth/Norvirus%20Final%20PDF.pdf