Norovirus Infections in Long-Term Care Facilities

Noroviruses have emerged as one of the leading causes of viral gastroenteritis worldwide, affecting community-dwelling and institutionalized older adults. Recent global epidemics present a growing challenge to the healthcare system and to long-term care facilities. Noroviruses spread readily and rapidly through multiple routes (e.g., person-to-person contact, contact with contaminated surfaces, airborne dissemination of vomitus) and thus are able to sustain an epidemic efficiently and successfully. Although norovirus gastroenteritis is a short self-limited illness in healthy immunocompetent individuals, it can result in significant morbidity and mortality in vulnerable compromised persons such as frail elderly persons and older residents of nursing homes. Diagnosis is made by clinical assessment and confirmed primarily by stool evaluation using polymerase chain reaction. Treatment is confined to supportive measures. Public health prevention and control strategies provide guidance regarding surveillance and the necessary steps to curb the clinical effect and spread of norovirus infections in various settings, including long-term care.