title: Waterborne outbreak of Norwalk-like virus gastroenteritis at a tourist resort, Italy.
abstract: In July 2000, an outbreak of gastroenteritis occurred at a tourist resort in the Gulf of Taranto in southern Italy. Illness in 344 people, 69 of whom were staff members, met the case definition. Norwalk-like virus (NLV) was found in 22 of 28 stool specimens tested. The source of illness was likely contaminated drinking water, as environmental inspection identified a breakdown in the resort water system and tap water samples were contaminated with fecal bacteria. Attack rates were increased (51.4%) in staff members involved in water sports. Relative risks were significant only for exposure to beach showers and consuming drinks with ice. Although Italy has no surveillance system for nonbacterial gastroenteritis, no outbreak caused by NLV has been described previously in the country.
authors.affiliation: Department of Communicable Disease, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy. boccia@iss.it
authors.forename: Delia
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Boccia
authors.forename: Alberto Eugenio
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Tozzi
authors.forename: Benvon
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cotter
authors.forename: Caterina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rizzo
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Russo
authors.forename: Gabriele
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Buttinelli
authors.forename: Alfredo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Caprioli
authors.forename: Maria Luisa
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Marziano
authors.forename: Franco Maria
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Ruggeri
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015139:Blotting, Southern; D017250:Caliciviridae Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005243:Feces / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D029322:Norovirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014839:Vomiting / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D014871:Water Microbiology; D014881:Water Supply
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral