Norovirus, which is a major cause of acute gastroenteritis, mutates rapidly. Now the researchers of Division of Virology, Kawasaki City Institute for Public Health, Kanagawa, Japan identified a novel genotype of the Norovirus.

The genetic analyses conducted in March 2014 revealed the novel variant norovirus and then it was assigned as GII.P17-GII.17 by Noronet, who coordinate norovirus nomenclature through a global network of research scientists, clinicians and public health officials.

The GII.P17-GII.17 variant norovirus were detected in January 2015 in Kawasaki City. Then the number of GII.P17-GII.17 cases started to increase in February, surpassing the number of cases of GII.4 which had been the main causative genotype. The paper about this GII.17 variant norovirus was written by the research team and published in Eurosurveillance journal in July..

The paper suggests the potential of outbreaks by this novel variant norovirus all over the world, thereby contributing to the improvement of global public health.