• Question: what are you working to cure?

    Asked by me is myself to Liz on 10 Jun 2017.
    • Photo: Liz Buckingham-Jeffery

      Liz Buckingham-Jeffery answered on 10 Jun 2017:

      I mostly work on improving our understanding of norovirus. Norovirus is an illness that gives you vomiting and diarrhoea! Its not very fun to have! But it is very, very common: most people will get it at some point and it doesn’t last for very long. I’ve had it before!!

      My work will not cure norovirus. But my work helps us understand how quickly it spreads, how often we might catch it, and how long you stay immune from it before you can get it again.

      There are also other scientists who are currently looking for a vaccine for norovirus. But it doesn’t exist yet.

Comments

  • Photo: Rosie

    Rosie commented on :

    Liz, is it true that people with certain blood groups are less likely to get norovirus infections, or is this an urban myth? I’ve always been lucky enough to escape getting norovirus even whilst working on wards with an outbreak, whilst others succumbed.

  • Photo: Liz

    Liz commented on :

    Yeah, I think it is true that some people are much more resistant to infections from certain norovirus strains than others. You must be one of the lucky ones Rosie!! Until recently I don’t think too much has been known about this, but at the moment scientists are developing norovirus vaccines and so understanding this properly is important.