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Many infectious microbes have become media stars in recent years, but noroviruses remain relatively unknown, even though they cause more diarrheal disease in this country than any other pathogen (and are estimated to cause half of all gastroenteritis outbreaks worldwide.) A small outbreak among members of a girls' soccer team illustrates just how contagious these viruses are.
The index patient, a teenage girl, developed vomiting and diarrhea one night while at an out-of-town hotel for a tournament and, then, went home the next morning without any further contact with the rest of her group. Three days later, seven additional team members became ill. Investigators determined that illness was associated with eating grapes or packaged snacks tha…