What are the Symptoms of Norwalk and Noroviruses?
Norwalk virus causes viral gastroenteritis, which is also known as acute nonbacterial gastroenteritis, food poisoning, food infection, stomach flu, and winter vomiting disease. A Norwalk virus infection results in illness 24 to 48 hours after exposure, and symptoms last from 12-48 hours. Illness is characterized by the abrupt onset of vomiting and/or non-bloody diarrhea; abdominal cramps are common. 25-50% of patients report headache, nausea, malaise, myalgias and low-grade fever. It is important to note that there are other organisms such as rotaviruses which also cause viral gastroenteritis. Unlike rotaviruses, Norwalk virus infection is more frequent in older children and adults than in infants and toddlers.
