title: [Outbreaks of noroviral gastroenteritis and their molecular characteristics in China, 2006 - 2007].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To acknowledge the epidemiology of gastroenteritis outbreaks caused by noroviruses and their genotypes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Epidemiologic data and specimens were collected from 19 gastroenteritis outbreaks. 201 specimens were detected for norovirus, rotavirus, astrovirus, adenovirus and sapovirus by RT-PCR methods and PCR products were sequenced. Sequence alignment and phylogenetic analysis were performed by Clustal X 1.83 and MEGA 4.0 programs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Noroviruses were one of the most predominant pathogens causing viral gastroenteritis outbreaks (12 of 19 outbreaks, accounting for 63.2%). Variant GII-4/2006b was the predominant strain responsible for 11 of the 12 NV-associated outbreaks. Other genotypes would include GII-17, GII-6 and GII-3. The NV-associated gastroenteritis outbreaks occurred mainly in winter and spring between December 2006 and April 2007. These gastroenteritis outbreaks caused by noroviruses would involve all age groups in various locations. Meantime, 2 out of 12 outbreaks were caused by norovirus or other viruses. In addition, multiple viruses and multiple genotypes of noroviruses were found in the same outbreak.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Noroviruses were one of the most major pathogens causing gastroenteritis outbreaks while GII-4/2006b variant was identified as the predominant strain in China.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Viral Diseases Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 100052.
authors.forename: Miao
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: Jun-ling
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Zhao-rui
authors.initials: ZR
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Hui-ying
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Na
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Qing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Shu-xian
authors.initials: SX
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Zi-jun
authors.initials: ZJ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Zhao-jun
authors.initials: ZJ
authors.lastname: Duan
mesh_terms: D017250:Caliciviridae Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology*; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D029322:Norovirus / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral