title: An outbreak of Norwalk-related gastroenteritis at a boys' camp.
abstract: An acute gastrointestinal tract illness affected 213 (52%) of 407 campers and 64 (53%) of 121 staff members attending a boys' camp in the Catoctin Mountains of Maryland during the summer of 1981. Nausea was the predominant symptom for ill campers and staff members (73%), but more staff members experienced diarrhea (49%) than did campers (9%). Twenty-three individuals had more than one episode of illness compatible with the case definition. Eight of nine paired blood specimens from ill staff members showed a fourfold increase in antibody titer to Norwalk virus by radioimmunoassay. Environmental inspections and laboratory tests failed to implicate a common source of exposure.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jenkins
authors.forename: J T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Horman
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Israel
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cukor
authors.forename: N R
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Blacklow
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D002165:Camping; D002648:Child; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000209:etiology; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008396:Maryland; D009325:Nausea / Q000209:etiology; D009663:Norwalk virus / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral