Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2000 May:181 Suppl 2:S284-7.
doi: 10.1086/315586.

Cold weather seasonality of gastroenteritis associated with Norwalk-like viruses

A W Mounts  1 , T Ando, M Koopmans, J S Bresee, J Noel, R I Glass
Affiliations

Cold weather seasonality of gastroenteritis associated with Norwalk-like viruses

A W Mounts et al. J Infect Dis. 2000 May.

Abstract

Norwalk-like viruses (NLVs) are the most common cause of acute nonbacterial gastroenteritis in adults, but little is known about their seasonality. The lack of specific diagnostic tools impeded study of these viruses in the past, and surveys using electron microscopy often grouped NLVs with other unrelated viruses. A search of the scientific literature found eight surveys of gastroenteritis, which were conducted for at least 1 year, that specifically identified NLVs. Unpublished data from laboratories of 4 NLV researchers were also used. These surveys, which were conducted in eight countries, reported sporadic cases and outbreaks of NLV-associated gastroenteritis among all age groups. The monthly occurrence of these cases and outbreaks was plotted, and while transmission occurred year-round in most surveys, a cold weather peak was demonstrated in 11 of the 12 studies. This key epidemiologic feature of the viruses has important implications concerning their mode of transmission and for understanding the etiology of acute gastroenteritis in adults.

PubMed Disclaimer

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

See all "Cited by" articles