Norovirus (o virus de tipo "Norwalk") es un género de virus ARN de la familia Caliciviridae, y responsable del 50% de los brotes de gastroenteritis por abedulia intoxicación alimentaria en EE. UU. Norovirus afecta a las personas de todas las edades y es transmitido por alimentos contaminados, por aguas fecales y por contacto entre personas. Una infección por Norovirus se caracteriza por náuseas, vómito fuerte, diarrea líquida, dolor abdominal, y en algunos casos, pérdida del sabor. En general, el sujeto se presentará débil y letárgico, con dolores musculares, dolor de cabeza, y comúnmente con una fiebre leve. La enfermedad se auto-limita e infecciones severas son raras. Aunque sufrir de una infección por Norovirus es sumamente incómodo, no es comúnmente peligroso y la mayoría de quienes contraen la enfermedad se recuperan dentro de dos o tres días. El norovirus se inactiva con suficiente calor o por medio de desinfectantes a base de cloro. El virus es resistente ante los alcoholes y detergentes.

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Norovirus, sometimes known as winter vomiting bug in the UK, is the most common cause of viral gastroenteritis in humans. It affects people of all ages. The virus is transmitted by fecally contaminated food or water, by person-to-person contact, and via aerosolization of vomited virus and subsequent contamination of surfaces. The virus affects around 267 million people and causes over 200,000 deaths each year; these deaths are usually in less developed countries and in the very young, elderly and immunosuppressed. Norovirus infection is characterized by nausea, vomiting, watery diarrhea, abdominal pain, and in some cases, loss of taste. A person usually develops symptoms of gastroenteritis 12 to 48 hours after being exposed to norovirus. General lethargy, weakness, muscle aches, headaches, and low-grade fevers may occur. The disease is usually self-limiting, and severe illness is rare. Although having norovirus can be unpleasant, it is not usually dangerous and most who contract it make a full recovery within two to three days. Norovirus is rapidly inactivated by either sufficient heating or by chlorine-based disinfectants and polyquaternary amines, but the virus is less susceptible to alcohols and detergents. After infection, immunity to norovirus is usually incomplete and temporary, with one publication drawing the conclusion that protective immunity to the same strain of norovirus lasts for six months, but that all such immunity is gone after two years. Outbreaks of norovirus infection often occur in closed or semiclosed communities, such as long-term care facilities, overnight camps, hospitals, schools, prisons, clubs, dormitories, and cruise ships, where the infection spreads very rapidly either by person-to-person transmission or through contaminated food. Many norovirus outbreaks have been traced to food that was handled by one infected person. The genus name Norovirus is derived from Norwalk virus, the only species of the genus. The species causes approximately 90% of epidemic nonbacterial outbreaks of gastroenteritis around the world, and may be responsible for 50% of all foodborne outbreaks of gastroenteritis in the United States.

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