Symptoms and treatment of norovirus infection

Norovirus infection is a contagious disease, often occurring in winter, also known as “gastrointestinal flu”, “winter vomiting disease”. Patients mostly present with vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, fever, loss of appetite, and fatigue, with vomiting common in children and diarrhea common in adults. Norovirus infection is a self-limiting disease, the general symptoms will gradually subside within 2-3 days, patients with persistent unremitting symptoms can be symptomatic, supportive treatment, etc., to promote the cure of the disease. Clinically, there is no specific drug for the treatment of norovirus, so the main symptomatic treatment. Patients with severe diarrhea can take montelukast to relieve symptoms; patients with severe nausea and vomiting can take metoclopramide for treatment; patients with acid reflux and burning pain in the stomach can also take omeprazole and lansoprazole for relief. In addition, patients with long-term vomiting and diarrhea may suffer from severe dehydration, which may lead to acid-base disorders and water and electrolyte disorders in the body. In this case, patients need to advance supportive treatment, such as adequate hydration and, if necessary, intravenous administration of glucose and sodium chloride. Norovirus is highly infectious and can be widely spread through hand-fecal-oral, aerosol of vomit and other means of transmission. Patients are advised to perform good personal hygiene during the onset of the disease, and family members can wear masks and gloves for self-protection to reduce the possibility of disease transmission.