Intestinal necrosis due to norovirus enteritis.

Noroviruses cause epidemic and sporadic acute gastroenteritis in both children and adults. We report a rare case of intestinal necrosis due to norovirus gastroenteritis in a healthy adult. A 47-year-old man presented with worsening abdominal pain, diarrhea, vomiting, and abdominal fullness. Physical examination revealed abdominal distension and diffuse tenderness. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography revealed intestinal distention, pneumatosis, and portal venous gas, findings suggestive of intestinal necrosis. Norovirus genome was detected in his stools using the RT-PCR method. Upon laparotomy, a segment of necrotic bowel 170 cm from the ileocecal valve was identified, and the lesion was resected with an end ileostomy. The patient's recovery was uneventful, and he was transferred to another hospital on the 7th post-operative day. Ileostomy closure was performed one month after the first surgery at the transfer hospital. He had no recurrent episodes.