title: An outbreak of norovirus infection in a long-term care facility in Brazil.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe a norovirus outbreak in a Brazilian long-term care facility from July 8 to 29, 2005.
  
  
  METHODS
  In the first 48 to 72 hours after onset of symptoms in inpatients and employees, the main infection control strategies were staff education, emphasis on hand washing, implementing contact precautions up to 48-72 hours after resolution of symptoms, complete cleaning of the rooms and exclusion of symptomatic employees from work until 48-72 hours after resolution of their symptoms. Epidemiological and clinical characteristics of the norovirus infections were described based on chart review.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The incidence among inpatients and employees was 41.3% and 16.25%, respectively. The main symptom was diarrhea, affecting 100% of inpatients and employees. Forty-four percent of specimens were positive by RIDASCREEN® Norovirus analyses, and identified as norovirus genogroup GII. Seventy percent of inpatients were women and their age range was 51-98 years. Inpatients had in average two comorbid conditions - 87.3% with cardiovascular or chronic pulmonary condition and 47.6% with dementia. There was not relapse or death.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The early infection-control measures associated to surveillance are required to keep long-term care facilities free of noroviruses and to protect those who are most vulnerable.
authors.affiliation: Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein - HIAE, São Paulo, SP, BR.
authors.forename: Fernando Gatti de
authors.initials: FG
authors.lastname: Menezes
authors.affiliation: Nosocomial Infection Control Committee, Unidade Avançada Vila Mariana, Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein - HIAE, São Paulo, SP, BR.
authors.forename: Vanessa Maria da Silva de Poli
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Correa
authors.affiliation: Unidade Avançada Vila Mariana, Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein - HIAE, São Paulo, SP, BR.
authors.forename: Fábio Gazelato de Mello
authors.initials: FG
authors.lastname: Franco
authors.affiliation: Unidade Avançada Vila Mariana, Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein - HIAE, São Paulo, SP, BR.
authors.forename: Miriam Ikeda
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
authors.affiliation: Nosocomial Infection Control Committee, Unidade Morumbi, Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein - HIAE, São Paulo, SP, BR.
authors.forename: Maria Fátima Dos Santos
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Cardoso
authors.affiliation: Enteral Virus Laboratory, Instituto Adolfo Lutz, São Paulo, SP, BR.
authors.forename: Simone Guadagnucci
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Morillo
authors.affiliation: Enteral Virus Laboratory, Instituto Adolfo Lutz, São Paulo, SP, BR.
authors.forename: Rita de Cássia Compagnoli
authors.initials: Rde C
authors.lastname: Carmona
authors.affiliation: Virology Department, Instituto Adolfo Lutz, São Paulo, SP, BR.
authors.forename: Maria do Carmo Sampaio Tavares
authors.initials: Mdo C
authors.lastname: Timenetsky
authors.affiliation: Nosocomial Infection Control Committee, Unidade Morumbi, Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein - HIAE, São Paulo, SP, BR.
authors.forename: Luci
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Correa
authors.affiliation: Nosocomial Infection Control Committee, Unidade Morumbi, Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein - HIAE, São Paulo, SP, BR.
authors.forename: Jacyr
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pasternak