Monday, March 25, 2013

Norovirus

Norovirus Is Leading Cause of Intestinal Disorders In American Kids


Norovirus
KALLISTA IMAGES / GETTY IMAGES

According to a new
 study released by the Centers for Disease Control, norovirus sent nearly 1 million children under age five in the U.S. to the doctor or hospital  in 2009 and 2010. And treating those youngsters cost an estimated $273 million a year.The symptoms of gastroenteritis aren’t pretty, but at least doctors know what’s behind the wave of cases in recent years.
Norovirus is often called the “stomach flu” or “food poisoning” since its symptoms include severe vomiting and diarrhea. According to the CDC, the virus, which inflames the lining of the stomach and intestines, causes 21 million cases of illness, 70,000 hospitalizations and 800 deaths in the U.S. annually. A little more than half of the cases are passed from person to person, and 20% are caused by contaminated food./.../

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