Symptoms & Risks of Norovirus Infection
Usual symptoms of norovirus infection include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. Headache and low-grade fever may also accompany this illness.
The illness caused by norovirus is usually brief. It develops 24 to 48 hours after contaminated food or water is ingested and lasts for 24 to 60 hours (CDC, 2006, August 3). People infected with norovirus usually recover in two to three days without serious or long-term health effects.
In some cases, severe dehydration, malnutrition, and even death can result from norovirus infection, especially among children and among older and immunocompromised adults in hospitals and nursing homes (Mayo Clinic, 2007, April 5).