A total of 3,250 serum specimens collected in England in 1991 and 1992 were tested by an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for antibody to Norwalk virus using baculovirus-expressed capsid antigen, and 2,382 (73.3%) were positive. The prevalence of Norwalk virus antibody differed regionally. It was lowest (24.6%) in 6- to 11-month-old infants and increased to 89.7% in persons over 60 ye...

A hemagglutination inhibition (HAI) assay to assess serum antibody responses following Norwalk virus (NV) infection was developed. HAI activity increased significantly in individuals experimentally infected with NV (n = 18) and correlated with antibody levels measured in a histo-blood group antigen (HBGA) blocking assay. Prechallenge HAI antibody levels also correlated with protection from the ...

In 1972, a 27-nm virus-like particle was discovered by use of immune electron microscopy (IEM) in an infectious stool filtrate derived from an outbreak of gastroenteritis in an elementary school in Norwalk, Ohio. IEM enabled the direct visualization of antigen-antibody interaction, as the particles were aggregated and coated by specific antibodies. This allowed the recognition and identificatio...

In 1972, the “Norwalk agent” was discovered in fecal specimens collected during the investigation of an outbreak of gastroenteritis at an elementary school in Norwalk, Ohio [1, 2]. While this was heralded as the discovery of the first virus specifically associated with gastroenteritis, research progressed slowly and the role of the Norwalk agent as an important pathogen remained in question bec...

The Norwalk and Hawaii viruses are antigenically distinct members of the family Caliciviridae and are considered to be important etiologic agents of epidemic gastroenteritis, with most studies focusing on the role of Norwalk virus. To further investigate the importance of Hawaii virus, Hawaii virus-like particles (VLPs) were produced by expression of its capsid protein in the baculovirus system...

Norovirus infection is the most common cause of acute gastroenteritis in developed countries. Developing an assay based on a non-invasive biomarker for detecting incident norovirus infections could improve disease surveillance and epidemiological investigations. This project involved analysis of IgA and IgG norovirus-specific antibody responses in saliva samples from a Norwalk virus (Genogroup ...

Passive immunoprophylaxis or immunotherapy with norovirus-neutralizing monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) could be a useful treatment for high-risk populations, including infants and young children, the elderly, and certain patients who are debilitated or immunocompromised. In order to obtain antinorovirus MAbs with therapeutic potential, we stimulated a strong adaptive immune response in chimpanzees...

Eighty-seven serum specimens from 20 human subjects experimentally inoculated one or more times with Norwalk virus were quantitatively examined for virus-specific immunoglobulin M (IgM). A sensitive and specific radioimmunoassay for anti-Norwalk virus blocking activity was applied to whole serum and to separate IgM and IgG fractions obtained by sucrose density gradient ultracentrifugation. The ...

The International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV) has recently approved several proposals submitted by the present Caliciviridae Study Group. These proposals include the division of the family into 4 new genera designated Lagovirus, Vesivirus, "Norwalk-like viruses (NLVs), and "Sapporo-like viruses (SLVs); the latter 2 genera were assigned temporary names until acceptable names can be d...

Norwalk-like viruses are members of the calicivirus family, first discovered in 1972 following an outbreak of gastroenteritis in Norwalk, Ohio, and more recently renamed Norovirus. They are a common cause of outbreaks of gastroenteritis in institutions throughout the winter months. The faecal–oral route is the primary method of transmission; however, airborne spread from vomitus and fomites (ob...