title: Outbreak of acute gastroenteritis associated with group A rotavirus and genogroup I sapovirus among adults in a mental health care facility in Japan.
abstract: An outbreak of acute gastroenteritis consisting of 57 cases occurred in a mental health care facility in Takasaki city, Japan during 6th February and 27th March 2002. A total of 18 fecal specimens collected from 17 residents and one member of the medical staff during this outbreak were tested for the presence of viral enteropathogens by RT-PCR and latex agglutination. Group A rotavirus and sapovirus were detected in 5 out of 18 fecal specimens (55.6%). To our knowledge, this is the first finding of an outbreak of gastroenteritis associated with co-circulation of different kinds of viruses such as group A rotavirus and sapovirus. All of group A rotaviruses were typed further as P[4]G2 strains. Both rotavirus and sapovirus were subjected to molecular analysis by sequencing. It was noteworthy that all rotaviruses and sapoviruses had high homologies, respectively, to each other and sapoviruses presented a potential novel sapovirus genogroup I (GI) genotype, which was obviously different from any GI genotypes (GI-a, b, c, and d). The outbreak associated with these viruses spread gradually from dormitory to dormitory, suggesting a spread by person-to-person contact, although investigation on the route of transmission of the outbreak is lacking. The findings confirm the presence of group A rotavirus and sapovirus are important in acute gastroenteritis among adults in Japan.
authors.affiliation: Department of Developmental Medical Sciences, Institute of International Health, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Hainian
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Toshiaki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Abe
authors.forename: Tung Gia
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Phan
authors.forename: Tuan Anh
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Nguyen
authors.forename: Tatuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Iso
authors.forename: Yasunori
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ikezawa
authors.forename: Kiyo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ishii
authors.forename: Shoko
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Okitsu
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ushijima
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017250:Caliciviridae Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005243:Feces / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology*; D006778:Hospitals, Psychiatric; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D012401:Rotavirus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012400:Rotavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D029341:Sapovirus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D017385:Sequence Homology
chemical_list: D018076:DNA, Complementary; D004279:DNA, Viral