Human noroviruses (HuNoV) are the most common cause of foodborne disease and viruses are likely responsible for a large proportion of foodborne diseases of unknown etiology. Recent advancements in molecular biology, bioinformatics, epidemiology and risk analysis have aided the study of these agents, but they remain difficult to control. The USDA-NIFA Food Virology Collaborative (NoroCORE), a 5-year, $25 million project funded by the USDA-National Institute of Food and Agriculture, was established in 2011 to address this important public health issue. Using a multi-disciplinary, integrated approach, our long-term goal is to reduce the burden of foodborne disease associated with viruses through efforts focusing on six core functions: (i) Molecular Virology; (ii) Detection; (iii) Epidemiology and Risk Analysis; (iv) Prevention and Control; (v) Extension and Outreach; and (vi) Education and Capacity Building. Through research, outreach and educational activities, along with stakeholder involvement, the Collaborative builds greater appreciation for the role of viruses to foodborne illness, with the long-term goal of producing a measurable reduction in burden of viral disease burden. The purpose of this session is to present recent findings of NoroCORE investigators and stakeholders, and to describe how these findings are changing how we study and control these important agents of foodborne illness. This session is sponsored by NoroCORE and the Viral and Parasitic Foodborne Disease PDG.

Presentations