title: Norovirus GII.Pe Genotype: Tracking a Foodborne Outbreak on a Cruise Ship Through Molecular Epidemiology, Brazil, 2014.
abstract: Norovirus (NoV) is recognized as the most common cause of foodborne outbreaks. In 2014, an outbreak of acute gastroenteritis occurred on a cruise ship in Brazil, and NoV became the suspected etiology. Here we present the molecular identification of the NoV strains and the use of sequence analysis to determine modes of virus transmission. Food (cream cheese, tuna salad, grilled fish, orange mousse, and vegetables soup) and clinical samples were analyzed by ELISA, conventional RT-PCR, qRT-PCR, and sequencing. Genogroup GII NoV was identified by ELISA and conventional RT-PCR in fecal samples from 5 of 12 patients tested (41.7%), and in the orange mousse food sample by conventional RT-PCR and qRT-PCR. Two fecal GII NoV samples and the orange mousse GII NoV sample were successfully genotyped as GII.Pe (ORF 1), revealed 98.0-98.8% identities among them, and shared phylogenetically distinct cluster. Establishing the source of a NoV outbreak can be a challenging task. In this report, the molecular analysis of the partial RdRp NoV gene provided a powerful tool for genotyping (GII.Pe) and tracking of outbreak-related samples. In addition, the same fast and simple extraction methods applied to clinical samples could be successfully used for complex food matrices, and have the potential to be introduced in routine laboratories for screening foods for presence of NoV.
authors.affiliation: Enteric Diseases Laboratory, Virology Center, Adolfo Lutz Institute, Avenida Dr Arnaldo, No 355, São Paulo, SP, CEP 01246-902, Brazil. sgmorillo@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Simone Guadagnucci
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Morillo
authors.affiliation: Enteric Diseases Laboratory, Virology Center, Adolfo Lutz Institute, Avenida Dr Arnaldo, No 355, São Paulo, SP, CEP 01246-902, Brazil. driluchs@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Adriana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Luchs
authors.affiliation: Enteric Diseases Laboratory, Virology Center, Adolfo Lutz Institute, Avenida Dr Arnaldo, No 355, São Paulo, SP, CEP 01246-902, Brazil.
authors.forename: Audrey
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cilli
authors.affiliation: Enteric Diseases Laboratory, Virology Center, Adolfo Lutz Institute, Avenida Dr Arnaldo, No 355, São Paulo, SP, CEP 01246-902, Brazil.
authors.forename: Cibele Daniel
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
authors.affiliation: Enteric Diseases Laboratory, Virology Center, Adolfo Lutz Institute, Avenida Dr Arnaldo, No 355, São Paulo, SP, CEP 01246-902, Brazil.
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: de Cássia Compagnoli Carmona
authors.affiliation: Enteric Diseases Laboratory, Virology Center, Adolfo Lutz Institute, Avenida Dr Arnaldo, No 355, São Paulo, SP, CEP 01246-902, Brazil. timenetsky.m@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: do Carmo Sampaio Tavares Timenetsky
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D017250:Caliciviridae Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis; D005517:Foodborne Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017720:Molecular Epidemiology; D029322:Norovirus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012767:Ships / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014195:Travel; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Cruise ship outbreak; Foodborne gastroenteritis outbreak; Naturally contaminated food detection; Norovirus