Norovirus burden may decrease with pediatric vaccinations

Childhood vaccination for norovirus may reduce the community burden of norovirus outbreaks, according to a study published in Clinical Infectious Diseases. Norovirus is the leading cause of acute gastroenteritis in the United States, causing an estimated 20 million illnesses each year. Norovirus affects all age groups; however, severe illness is most likely to occur in vulnerable populations, including children. Norovirus is transmitted primarily via the fecal-oral route through the consumption of contaminated food and water or by person-person contact. Currently, national norovirus surveillance is restricted primarily to outbreaks, rather than sporadic illness; however, multi-enteric pathogen testing has made sporadic norovirus surveillance more feasible. In Tennessee, acute gastroenteritis outbreaks are required to be reported and are identified and investigated by local health authorities. Additionally, the New Vaccine Surveillance Network conducts active surveillance for medically attended acute gastroenteritis in children through a network of sentinel pediatric hospitals. To improve preventative measures and assist in norovirus vaccine...