title: Multiple norovirus genotypes characterised from an oyster-associated outbreak of gastroenteritis.
abstract: The diversity of norovirus (NV) genotypes was investigated in persons who were ill with acute gastroenteritis associated with the consumption of oysters. Initial results from a commercial enzyme immunoassay (EIA) indicated a mixed NV genogroup I (GI) and II (GII) outbreak. A reverse-transcriptase (RT)-PCR for NVs was applied to nucleic acid extracted from faecal specimens collected from symptomatic cases. Using primers that amplified contiguous sequences in the ORF1/2 region of the NV genome and a hemi-nested PCR derived from this assay, three different GII and two GI NV genotypes were detected and the strains were characterised by DNA sequencing. Using this approach a recombinant NV genotype, rGII-3a (recombinant Harrow/Mexico) the predominant strain identified in several symptomatic cases from the outbreak, was detected and characterised. No other gastroenteric viruses, including rotavirus, astrovirus, sapovirus and adenovirus 40/41 were detected by RT-PCR and PCR.
authors.affiliation: Enteric, Respiratory and Neurological Virus Laboratory, Specialist and Reference Microbiology Division, Health Protection Agency Centre for Infections, Colindale, London, NW9 5HT, United Kingdom. christopher.gallimore@hpa.org.uk
authors.forename: Chris I
authors.initials: CI
authors.lastname: Gallimore
authors.forename: John S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Cheesbrough
authors.forename: Kenneth
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lamden
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bingham
authors.forename: Jim J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Gray
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017250:Caliciviridae Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D003257:Consumer Product Safety; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology*; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D029322:Norovirus / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification; D010125:Ostreidae / Q000821:virology*; D010802:Phylogeny; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012758:Shellfish / Q000821:virology*; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology