Editing Norovirus (section)

== Pathophysiology ==
When a person becomes infected with norovirus, the virus replicates within the [[small intestine]]. The principal symptom is acute [[gastroenteritis]], characterized by nausea, forceful vomiting, watery [[diarrhea]], and abdominal pain, that develops 12 to 48 hours after exposure and lasts for 24–72 hours.<ref name="cdcfactsheet">{{cite web |url=https://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/revb/gastro/norovirus-factsheet.htm |title=Norovirus: Technical Fact Sheet |publisher=National Center for Infectious Diseases, CDC |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120308152422/http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/revb/gastro/norovirus-factsheet.htm |archive-date=2012-03-08 }}</ref> Sometimes there is loss of taste, general [[lethargy]], weakness, muscle aches, [[headache]], [[cough]], and/or low-grade [[fever]]. The disease is usually self-limiting.{{cn|date=August 2022}}

Severe illness is rare; although people are frequently treated at the emergency ward, they are rarely admitted to the hospital. The number of deaths from norovirus in the United States is estimated to be around 570–800<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Hall AJ, Lopman BA, Payne DC, Patel MM, Gastañaduy PA, Vinjé J, Parashar UD | title = Norovirus disease in the United States | journal = Emerging Infectious Diseases | volume = 19 | issue = 8 | pages = 1198–205 | date = August 2013 | pmid = 23876403 | pmc = 3739528 | doi = 10.3201/eid1908.130465 }}</ref> each year, with most of these occurring in the very young, the elderly, and persons with weakened immune systems. Symptoms may become life-threatening in these groups if [[dehydration]] or [[electrolyte imbalance]] is ignored or left untreated.<ref name="pmid16968608">{{cite journal | vauthors = Goodgame R | title = Norovirus gastroenteritis | journal = Current Gastroenterology Reports | volume = 8 | issue = 5 | pages = 401–8 | date = October 2006 | pmid = 16968608 | doi = 10.1007/s11894-006-0026-4 | s2cid = 54521495 }}</ref>