Published Date: 2000-12-29 23:50:00
Subject: PRO> Norwalk-like virus, role in nosocomial infection
Archive Number: 20001229.2295
NORWALK-LIKE VIRUS, ROLE IN NOSOCOMIAL INFECTION
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See Also
Norwalk-like virus, restaurant? - USA (Wisconsin) 20001222.2259Norwalk-like virus, salad - USA (multistate) 20000318.0377
Norwalk-like virus - USA: background 20001223.2269
Norwalk virus gastroenteritis - Canada (Alberta) 20001222.2252
Date: Thu 28 Dec 2000 17:04:13 +0100
From: Stefan Brockmann <Brockmann@lga.bwl.de>
The Role of Norwalk-like Virus in Outbreaks of Nosocomial Gastroenteritis
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Norwalk-like virus is now commonly isolated from outbreaks in chronic care
facilities and nursing homes. Its role in nosocomial (hospital-acquired)
gastroenteritis is still not well established.
Therefore we investigated the role of Norwalk-like virus in outbreaks of
nosocomial gastroenteritis. Of 12 nosocomial outbreaks we investigated, 7
were caused by Norwalk-like virus; 1 by rotavirus; 1 by _Salmonella
enteritidis_; and the causation of 3 was unclear.
An estimated 515 [cases were [involved. Kitchen workers were concerned
in 4 (58%) of the 7 Norwalk-like virus outbreaks. All the Norwalk-like
virus outbreaks [conformed to an epidemiologic curve of a point source
with secondary cross-infections.
Our findings suggest that Norwalk-like virus is the most frequently
isolated pathogen in nosocomial outbreaks of gastroenteritis. Most cases
seemed to be due to primary or secondary contamination of food.
Cross-infection via staff is a frequent route of secondary transmission.
Establishment of routine viral diagnosis in implicated foods and water is
necessary to confirm the data. Until routine diagnosis of Norwalk-like
virus in foods and water becomes standard procedure, outbreak
investigations have to focus on stool diagnosis of patients and food
handlers/kitchen workers in addition to standard epidemiological [approaches.
--
Stefan Brockmann
Dep.II Hygiene and Prevention of Infectious Diseases
Baden-Wuerttemberg
State Health Office
Wiederholdstrasse 15
70174 Stuttgart, Germany
<brockmann@lga.bwl.de>
[Abstract presented at CONVIR 2000, Munich 10-12. Nov. 2000 (1) Brockmann S
et al. The role of Norwalk-like-virus in outbreaks of nosocomial
gastroenteritis. Infection. 2000 Nov;28(Sup1):53. - Mod.CP
.........................cp/pg/es
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