In 1972, noroviruses (previously called "Norwalk-likeviruses") were discovered as the first viruses definitive-ly associated with acute gastroenteritis. During the next 2decades, researchers were unable to develop simple meth-ods to detect these common viruses or to find the etiolog-ic agents of nonbacterial gastroenteritis outbreaks andhospitalizations. Indeed, of >2,500 foodborne outbreaksreported to the Centers for Disease Control and Preventionfrom 1993 to 1997, <1% were attributed to noroviruses,and 68% were of "unknown etiology" (1). As a result,noroviruses were out of sight and mind and thus relegatedto a minor role as agents of gastroenteritis at a time whenhigh-profile outbreaks of Salmonella Enteritidis (2) andEscherichia coli (3) had focused attention and budgets onpreventing foodborne bacterial illnesses
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