The estimated disease burden of norovirus in The Netherlands

• Published in: Epidemiology and infection Vol. 141; no. 3; pp. 496 - 506
• Main Authors: VERHOEF, L., KOOPMANS, M., VAN PELT, W., DUIZER, E., HAAGSMA, J., WERBER, D., VAN ASTEN, L., HAVELAAR, A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge, UK Cambridge University Press 01.03.2013
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Age composition; Age Factors; Aged; Biological and medical sciences; Caliciviridae Infections - epidemiology; Caliciviridae Infections - mortality; Caliciviridae Infections - virology; Child; Child, Preschool; Community-Acquired Infections - epidemiology; Cross Infection - epidemiology; Disease outbreaks; Disease Outbreaks - statistics & numerical data; Diseases; Epidemics; Epidemiology; Estimates; Food contamination & poisoning; Foodborne Diseases - epidemiology; Foodborne Diseases - virology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gastroenteritis; Gastroenteritis - epidemiology; Gastroenteritis - mortality; Gastroenteritis - virology; Hospitalization; Hospitals; Humans; Incidence; Infant; Infections; Infectious diseases; Long term health care; Microbiology; Middle Aged; Miscellaneous; Mortality; Netherlands - epidemiology; Norovirus; Original Papers; Pathogens; Population estimates; Population-based studies; Qualitative research; Reporting requirements; Sensors; Viral diseases; Virology; Young Adult; Netherlands; Europe; Western Europe; United Kingdom > UK; surveillance; gastroenteritis; incidence; Norwalk agent and related viruses; Foodborne infections; Virus; Norovirus; Epidemiology; Caliciviridae
• ISSN: 0950-2688; 1469-4409
• DOI: 10.1017/S0950268812000799

Noroviruses are an important cause of acute gastroenteritis in humans. We incorporated new insights gained over the past decade in an updated estimate of the disease burden of (foodborne) norovirus illness in The Netherlands in 2009. The disease outcomes – non-consulting cases, visiting a general practitioner, hospitalization and mortality – and the foodborne proportion were derived from cohort studies, surveillance data and literature. Age-specific incidence estimates were applied to the population age distribution in The Netherlands in 2009. The general population incidence was 3800/100 000 (95% CI 2670–5460), including 0·4 fatal cases/100 000, resulting in 1622/100 000 (95% CI 966–2650) disability-adjusted life-years in a population of 16·5 million. The updated burden of norovirus is over twofold higher than previously estimated, due in particular to the new insights in case-fatality ratios. Results suggest that the burden of norovirus institutional outbreaks is relatively small compared to the burden of community-acquired norovirus infections.