Recent advances in human norovirus detection and cultivation methods

- Human norovirus detection in foods remains a challenge.
- Recently advances have been made in human norovirus detection methods.
- Novel assays detect intact viral capsid and viral RNA for assessment of infectivity.
- Cell culture replication systems for human norovirus have recently been developed.

Human norovirus is a leading cause of foodborne illness worldwide. For years, the detection of the virus in foods and determining its inactivation during food processing have been challenging. Recently, there have been promising advances in human norovirus cultivation and several innovative approaches have been developed as in vitro methods to estimate human norovirus infectivity. The establishment of a robust cell culture system for human norovirus has broad implications for virology, public health, and food microbiology. New in vitro methods will undoubtedly increase the ability to establish more accurate survival data for human norovirus in foods and the processing environment. These novel approaches will enhance the field of food virology.