Rapid Tests for Noroviruses (NV)

A major concern with food borne pathogens is that many are zoonotic and have their origin in animal reservoirs. Sensitive diagnostic tests to identify the host origin of many food borne pathogens are lacking. There is only a limited understanding of the animal reservoirs for food borne pathogens. Viral food borne pathogens are even less understood because many do not grow in cell culture. This precludes assays to measure their infectiousness or their inactivation in foods and makes it difficult to obtain adequate amounts of the virus (such as from volunteer stool samples) for laboratory studies.

Human NV is the leading cause of water and food-borne viral gastroenteritis, causing large outbreaks in group settings including schools, nursing homes, hospitals, cruise ships, military ships Rapid methods for noroviruses may markedly improve public health and safety.and military troops. The low infectious dose, stability, ease of transmission via contaminated food and water and rapid spreads are all factors that amplify transmission and disease potential.

The origin of new strains of human NV is unknown, but they may arise from genetically similar animal strains. Discoveries by the Wooster FAHRP laboratory and others show that porcine enteric caliciviruses (PEC), including both animal NV (recently detected by our lab in US swine) and sapoviruses, are genetically closely related to human NV and sapoviruses. This discovery raises public health concerns about their zoonotic potential. This necessitates development of sensitive and rapid methods for their differential diagnosis in food and in water. Such methods may markedly improve public health and safety.