Astroviruses were first described in 1975.  They were observed in the feces of young children who had been hospitalized for diarrhea in an outbreak of gastroenteritis in a nursery.

The term was coined by Madeley and Cosgrove to describe the small, round virus with the distinctive 5- or 6-point starlike EM appearance.  

A break-through occurred in 1981 when Lee and Kurtz reported the isolation of human astroviruses in human embryonic cells (HEK) followed by propagation of a continuous line of virus in rhesus monkey kidney cells.  This ability to be propaged in cell culture distinguishes astroviruses from Norwalk viruses and other calici viruses which cannot be grown in culture.

Astroviruses were soon found to be endemic all over the world and were found to be associated with gastroenteritis in a wide variety of young mammals and birds, including lambs, calves, deer, piglets, kittens, mice, puppies, and turkey poults.

This ability to be propagated in culture lead to the recognition of 5 serotypes of human astrovirus in 1984.  Perhaps uninspiringly, these 5 viruses are named serotype 1, serotype 2, etc.

In 1988, monoclonal antibodies specific to astroviruses were developed by Hermann.  This allowed for the diagnosis of astrovirus gastroenteritis by EIA and allowed for better epidemiological studies.  

From 1989-1991, two more serotypes of astroviruses were found.  Another has been identified in the last 2 years, bringing the current total to 8.  Serotypes 1-5 are by far the most prevalent however.

In the mid-90's a series of epidemiological studies showed that astroviruses are an important cause of gastroenteritis worldwide and are in many areas the 2nd leading cause of gastroenteritis (behind Rotavirus).