Caliciviruses are a major cause of gastroenteritis. First identified by electron microscopy in the feces of acutely contaminated patients, genome sequencing has uncovered at least two genera containing human pathogens. Norovirus is of major concern for causing outbreaks in closed communities, among the elderly and hospital wards. Some veterinary caliciviruses are also considered to cause occasional human illness. Containing a positive sense RNA genome, expression of viral proteins is mediated through the generation of full-length and sub-genomic mRNA molecules in the cytoplasm of infected cells. Control relies primarily on preventing food-borne and water-borne contamination. Despite the potential of vaccination, candidate vaccines …show more content…
People who have had the norovirus before describe it as one of the worse feelings that she has ever experienced. Of the other foodborne illness you are most likely to feel the worst with norovirus even though it only lasts a short time. Symptoms usually last about 2-3 days but are very severe. Symptoms may be more severe and complications may be more likely in children, the elderly, pregnant women and immunocompromised people like someone who have cancer. The norovirus is very common, most people get over the illness within 2-3 days and there are very few who get hospitalized. Norovirus is different from other types of food poisoning in terms of how long it takes symptoms to show up after a person is exposed to the virus. After the virus gets into the body either by inhaling or ingesting it through the nose or mouth, it usually takes about 24-48 hours to show symptoms depending on how healthy the person is and how much of the virus they are exposed to. The cause is not usually the last meal the person ate because it takes a while for symptoms to develop the virus needs time to get into the hosts' cells and use their machinery to make more virus particles. Even when the symptoms of norovirus are over the virus particles can still be shed by the person in vomit and diarrhea or through normal bowel movements for up to 2 weeks, after they were first exposed, by this point the virus may be in lower concentrations but it is still there. The biggest issue we see in food handling is with people who work while being sick, from a norovirus standpoint or food handlers who came back to work early after having a gastrointestinal illness liked to norovirus. Just because the symptoms are over doesn’t mean the person is clear of the virus it still requires a lot of very good hygiene and hand washing because the person may still be producing the virus particles in their body