Intestinal inflammation caused by norovirus causes severe diarrhea

In Germany, over 1 million people suffer from an intestinal infection caused by the norovirus. The peak of the disease occurs in the winter months.

In Germany, more than 1 million people fall ill with a norovirus infection every year, with the peak of the disease usually occurring in the winter months. The norovirus is particularly aggressive because even small amounts of virus can trigger an infection.

The norovirus is resistant and can be transmitted via droplet infection. Since the immune system produces very few antibodies against the virus, no immunity to this disease will be built up and new infections are always possible.

The symptoms of a norovirus infection are: 

• diarrhea
• Vomit
• Strong feeling of illness
• persistent nausea
• abdominal cramps in the upper abdomen
• limb and Headache
• usually only a slight fever (sometimes never an elevated temperature)

Young children and chronically ill people are particularly at risk of infection, as are patients who take immunosuppressive drugs such as corisone or MTX, as is the case with rheumatism patients, for example.

The virus is usually transmitted through droplets in vomit. The risk of infection is particularly high in hospitals, nursing homes, kindergartens, schools, cruises or at family celebrations.