Does Norovirus cause elevated white blood cell count?

Generally, whether white blood cells (WBCs) increase after a norovirus infection mainly depends on the severity of the infection. If the norovirus infection is in its early stage or relatively mild, WBC counts typically remain normal. However, if the norovirus infection is severe and leads to serious complications, the WBC count may rise. If discomfort occurs, timely medical attention is recommended. Detailed analysis is as follows:

In the early or mild stages of a simple norovirus infection, white blood cell counts usually do not increase. As a common intestinal virus, norovirus primarily causes gastrointestinal symptoms and associated inflammatory responses after infecting the human body. At this stage, the immune system mainly relies on immune cells such as lymphocytes to combat the virus, primarily through cellular immunity, and generally does not cause significant changes in white blood cell counts.

When norovirus infection leads to severe vomiting and diarrhea, causing complications such as dehydration and electrolyte imbalance, the body enters a state of stress, which may cause an increase in white blood cells. Additionally, if a bacterial infection coexists with the norovirus infection, the bacterial infection can stimulate the body's inflammatory response, promoting increased production and release of white blood cells, thereby causing an elevated white blood cell count.

In daily life, maintaining good personal hygiene and washing hands frequently is important. Especially before meals and after using the toilet or touching public items, thoroughly wash both hands with soap or hand sanitizer following the seven-step handwashing technique to reduce the transmission routes of the virus.