Frequency of Norovirus in stool samples from patients with gastrointestinal symptoms in Switzerland.
To determine the frequency of sporadic community-acquired Norovirus (NV) infection in the German-speaking part of Switzerland, an evaluation of gastroenteritis cases seen in physicians' practices between July 2001 and July 2003 was conducted. A total of 699 stool specimens documented to be free of common bacterial pathogens was screened for the presence of NV by RT-PCR. NV was detected in 125 (17.9%) of these specimens. In the seasonal analysis, the highest rate of NV-positive samples (38.3%) was found between January and March 2002. After July 2002, the study was expanded to additionally test for NV in stool samples containing a known bacterial pathogen. Among 132 such specimens, NV was detected in only one. This suggests that NV mixed-infections are playing a marginal role in Switzerland.
Fretz
R
R
Cantonal Laboratory Basel-Landschaft, 4410, Liestal, Switzerland.
Herrmann
L
L
Christen
A
A
Svoboda
P
P
Dubuis
O
O
Viollier
E H
EH
Tanner
M
M
Baumgartner
A
A
D017250:Caliciviridae Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D005243:Feces / Q000821:virology*; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D029322:Norovirus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012621:Seasons; D013557:Switzerland / Q000453:epidemiology