Chapter 7 - Immune Response

Abstract

Noroviruses are a leading cause of acute gastroenteritis worldwide. The lack of robust cell culture systems and small animal models have limited studies on norovirus immunity. However, innate and adaptive immune responses to human noroviruses have been examined in human challenge studies, epidemiological studies, and clinical trials with virus-like particle vaccines. In addition, immune responses have also been studied in animal models, such as nonhuman primates, gnotobiotic pigs, gnotobiotic calves, and immunocompromised mice. Innate immunity is better characterized in animal models, whereas adaptive immune responses have been more extensively described in humans. This chapter reviews data from different models used to study the norovirus immune response, findings on innate and adaptive immunity in these models, and correlates of protection from infection and disease in humans. Understanding immune responses to noroviruses, particularly the correlates of protective immunity, is critical for the successful development of vaccines and therapeutics.