Preventive medicine
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Two virus-like particles have been found to be associated with acute viral gastroenteritis. One, a 270-nm parvovirus-like particle (the Norwalk agent), was visualized and recognized by immune electron microscopy in an infectious stool filtrate derived from a community outbreak of nonbacterial gastroenteritis. ⋯ The other, a 70-nm reovirus-like particle, has been observed by electron microscopy in specimens from infants and children with severe diarrhea in many parts of the world. The reovirus-like particle may emerge as a major etiologic agent of diarrhea of infants and young children.