Trust-funded research to probe norovirus growth
3 April 2009
Professor Ian Clarke and Dr Paul Lambden from the University of Southampton have been awarded £473 000 to investigate why noroviruses grow in specific cells of the small intestine and what the molecular cause of this are.
Noroviruses are a major cause of epidemic nonbacterial gastroenteritis (stomach bugs), with an estimated 1 million cases each year in the UK. They cause acute diarrhoea and vomiting and are highly contagious, easily spreading through food or water or by contact with contaminated surfaces, objects or people. Outbreaks of norovirus infection commonly occur in hospitals, schools, hotels and nursing homes.
“Despite their widespread prevalence, and their identification 30 years ago, no human noroviruses have as yet been adapted to grow in the laboratory, thereby restricting knowledge of the transmission and immunobiology of this distinct and highly infectious group of viruses,” said Professor Clarke.
Professor Clarke and Dr Lambden will also study the mouse form of the virus, which is closely related to the human version. This will shed further light on the molecular biology of noroviruses and how they replicate.
Image:
Caption: Colour-enhanced, electron micrograph of the norovirus.
Credit: David Gregory and Debbie Marshall, Wellcome Images