[Noroviruses, these unknown worldwide epidemic enteropathogens]

Discovered in the 1970s, human noroviruses (NoV) are the leading cause of foodborne disease and gastroenteritis outbreaks worldwide. NoV affect people of all ages. In children less than 5 years old, despite rotavirus remains the main enteropathogen responsible for viral gastroenteritis, NoV become the first etiological virus in countries where the rotavirus vaccine was introduced. Treatment of viral gastroenteritis is symptomatic. The key element in front of NoV infection is limiting their transmission. A rapid NoV detection during outbreak is important in the aim to rapidly implement hygiene measures to limit the size of the outbreak. Prevention of NoV infections relies on the use of adequate hand hygiene measures and disinfection of contaminated environmental surfaces. In face of an acute gastroenteritis outbreak, the early NoV identification with rapid laboratory tests or molecular biology methods is needed in the aim to implement as soon as possible hygiene measures to limit the size of the NoV outbreak. Due to antigenically diverse NoV strains and the lack of long term immunity, the development of an effective vaccine is difficult.