The human caliciviruses, including noroviruses (NoVs), are the most common causes of acute gastroenteritis in humans. This study develops and evaluates novel methods for the concentration, detection, and genotyping of NoVs from complex environmental matrices. The study reports on a project that developed and evaluated the use of ligand binding assays based on H-type carbohydrates, which have recently been shown to bind to norovirus-like particles as a proof of concept for the recovery of noroviruses from water samples. The study compares and evaluates this method along with an electropositive 1MDS filter-elution method. Other methods explored include a real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay for the detection to NoVs genogroup I and II, and validated assays using genetically different NoV strains. Vinjé is affiliated with the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. Annotation ©2008 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)