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An outbreak of gastroenteritis associated with calicivirus in an infant home
Author(s) -
Chiba Shunzo,
Sakuma Yasuhiko,
Kogasaka Ryoichi,
Akihara Minoru,
Horino Kiyotaka,
Nakao Tooru,
Fukui Seki
Publication year - 1979
Publication title -
journal of medical virology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.782
H-Index - 121
eISSN - 1096-9071
pISSN - 0146-6615
DOI - 10.1002/jmv.1890040402
Subject(s) - calicivirus , outbreak , diarrhea , caliciviridae , feces , vomiting , medicine , virology , antibody , acute gastroenteritis , pediatrics , virus , microbiology and biotechnology , immunology , biology , norovirus
In October 1977 an outbreak of acute infectious diarrhea occurred in an infant home in the city of Sapporo, Japan. Of 34 residents aged two to 20 months, 26 (77%) suffered from diarrhea. In ten of these patients the diarrhea was accompanied by vomiting. Electron microscopic examinations revealed typical calicivirus particles in eight faecal specimens, seven of which were from the group of 26 affected patients (28%) Faecal specimens were obtained from only 25 of the 26 affected infants. and one of which was from the group of eight infants without symptoms (13%). Immune electron microscopy tests for antibody responses against one of the isolated strains of calicivirus were carried out on 27 paired pre‐ and post‐outbreak sera. Sero‐conversions were demonstrated in 18 of 19 (95%) affected infants and in six of eight (75%) unaffected infants. One patient with lack of antibody response was the youngest child‐two months old. Periodic surveys on enteric viruses circulating in the home revealed that calicivirus was specifically associated with the outbreak of gastroenteritis. These observations provide further evidence for the causative role of calicivirus in acute gastroenteritis in children.