Gut microbes alter characteristics of norovirus infection

The highly contagious norovirus causes diarrhea and vomiting and is notorious for spreading rapidly through densely populated spaces, such as cruise ships, nursing homes, schools and day care centers. There are no treatments for this intestinal virus. A new study has shown that gut microbes can tamp down or boost the severity of norovirus infection based on where along the intestine the virus takes hold.