title: Asymptomatic and symptomatic excretion of noroviruses during a hospital outbreak of gastroenteritis.
abstract: During an investigation of a hospital outbreak of norovirus gastroenteritis identified as being caused by a recombinant genogroup II (rGII-3a) strain, fecal specimens collected from asymptomatic staff and patients were tested by nested PCR. A GII-4 norovirus strain, the predominant strain associated with outbreaks in hospitals over the last few years, was detected in 26 and 33% of asymptomatic staff and patients, respectively. No rGII-3a (Harrow/Mexico) norovirus strains were detected in the samples of asymptomatic staff or patients.
authors.affiliation: Enteric, Respiratory and Neurological Virus Laboratory Central Public Health Laboratory, Specialist and Reference Microbiology Division, Health Protection Agency, Colindale, London, NW9 5HT, United Kingdom. christopher.gallimore@hpa.org.uk
authors.forename: Chris I
authors.initials: CI
authors.lastname: Gallimore
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cubitt
authors.forename: Nelita
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: du Plessis
authors.forename: Jim J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Gray
mesh_terms: D017250:Caliciviridae Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology*; D002353:Carrier State / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology*; D005814:Genes, Viral; D006801:Humans; D008131:London / Q000453:epidemiology; D029322:Norovirus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D010564:Personnel, Hospital; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral