The Norovirus Automated Genotyping Tool: introduction.

This typingtool offers quick and unequivocal typing of norovirus sequences.

The tool makes use of a regularly updated set of reference sequences. Timely availability of newly circulating strains enables timely comparison of sequences found in different labs and thus early recognition of globally emerging strains or indications of common sources.
By issuing preliminary names for new strains and using a standardized nomenclature findings in different parts of the world can be compared.

With this tool sequences of any part of the Norovirus (NoV) genome can be assigned to a NoV genogroup, and sequences of all commonly used regions for typing can be assigned to a genotype.
For one specific NoV genotype (II.4) the variant of that genotype is determined.
Sequences of other Caliciviridae are also recognized by the tool and are assigned to their (preliminary) genus. In case of Sapoviruses also a genogroup is assigned.

The sequences used as references in this tool originate from:
The Foodborne viruses in Europe network and Genbank

The standardized nomenclature has been drafted by NoroNet