What is Norovirus??????

Jonathan brought home this "flu like bug" from camp. From the moment our children are toddlers, we are constantly teaching them to share! And, my sweet Jonathan shares EVERYTHING! Jonathan had it, Sean got it, and now the MOM has it! A few nights ago I was experiencing abdominal pain much like I did in Hawaii and thought that was my case of this bug. WRONG!! I woke up last night at 1:00 AM puking my every little guts out!! And without being too graphic, I had to MULTITASK many times last night in the bathroom. And, the verdict is still out as to if Sean will come home from work tonight. I mean, my God, I don't even want to be married to myself after hearing what I sound like. Jonathan told Sean this morning "Mommy sounds like a dying Goat when she throws up"! So, it's 11:00 am now, I haven't thrown up in 2 hours, I had to call in sick to work, I just made my way down to the couch where my Sweet Sean has many burp bowls & towels set out. The remotes are lined up, my cell phone & IPOD are sitting out for me next to my glasses, two blankets, a pillow, a sprite, my book I'm reading, and of course the laptop. Now if only I had the energy to look for my dumb camera, I would take a picture of it all. I'm wishing everyone a HEALTHY DAY!!

What are noroviruses?

Noroviruses are a group of viruses that cause the "stomach flu," or gastroenteritis (GAS-tro-en-ter-I-tis), in people. The term norovirus was recently approved as the official name for this group of viruses. Several other names have been used for noroviruses, including:

• Norwalk-like viruses (NLVs)



• caliciviruses (because they belong to the virus family Caliciviridae)



• small round structured viruses.

Viruses are very different from bacteria and parasites, some of which can cause illnesses similar to norovirus infection. Like all viral infections, noroviruses are not affected by treatment with antibiotics, and cannot grow outside of a person's body.

What are the symptoms of illness caused by noroviruses?

Norovirus infection usually starts suddenly. The infected person often feels very sick with nausea and vomiting and watery non-bloody diarrhea with stomach cramps. Vomiting is more common in children than adults. Sometimes there is a low-grade fever. There may also be chills, headache, muscle aches, and a general sense of tiredness.