05/09/2024
Norovirus is the most common cause of viral acute gastroenteritis (AGE) worldwide2 and is characterized by symptoms, including diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain, nausea, and fever, that may lead to clinically significant dehydration. The global cost of norovirus-caused AGE is estimated to be over $4 billion in direct health system costs and approximately $60 billion in societal costs per year3. In the United States alone, norovirus-caused AGE is estimated to result in $2 billion in direct medical costs and $10 billion in societal costs per year4.
Preventing the spread of norovirus is challenging as the virus can persist on environment surfaces for weeks and is resistant to common disinfectants5. While norovirus can cause illness in any age group, the majority of deaths and illnesses due to norovirus are borne by young children and older adults3. In children younger than four years of age, norovirus is estimated to cause 95,000 deaths and 450 million illnesses globally each year3. Up to 80% of children will experience a norovirus infection within one year of birth, with the majority of cases occurring between six months and two years of age6,7. For adults older than 55 years of age, norovirus is estimated to cause 78,000 deaths and 81 million illnesses globally each year3.
The impact of norovirus in the United States results in an average of 22 million cases of AGE, 96,000 hospitalizations, and 1,350 deaths annually4. For comparison, norovirus has a similar morbidity, mortality, and economic burden in children in the United States as rotavirus did before the introduction of rotavirus vaccines4,8. Further, norovirus today has a greater morbidity, mortality, and economic burden in United States than shingles before the introduction of shingles vaccines.
