title: An outbreak of rotavirus infection among adults in an institution for rehabilitation: long-term residence in a closed community as a risk factor for rotavirus illness.
abstract: An outbreak of group A rotavirus infection resulted in gastroenteritis among disabled adults in an isolated rehabilitation institution in Kobe, Japan. Of the 95 residents, 16 were diagnosed with rotavirus illness. The causative agent was a single strain of typical human group A rotavirus belonging to VP7 serotype G2, VP4 genotype P[4], and NSP4 genotype A. Mean duration of stay was significantly longer for residents with rotavirus illness (22.1+/-11.8 years) than for residents without the disease (13.5+/-10.6 years; P=0.01). Age, sex, disability and location of resident rooms displayed no significant relationships with illness. These observations suggest that long-term residence in a closed community, which might be related to absence of immuno-stimulation, represents a risk factor for rotavirus illness.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Kobe Institute of Health, Minatojima-nakamachi, Kobe 650-0046, Japan. iijma@oak.ocn.ne.jp
authors.forename: Yoshio
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Iijima
authors.forename: Tomotada
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Iwamoto
authors.forename: Souichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nukuzuma
authors.forename: Hideaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ohishi
authors.forename: Kozaburo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hayashi
authors.forename: Nobumichi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission / Q000821:virology; D006233:Persons with Disabilities; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005260:Female; D016352:Group Homes; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012307:Risk Factors; D012400:Rotavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission / Q000821:virology; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies