J Bacteriol Virol.  2019 Jun;49(2):81-88. 10.4167/jbv.2019.49.2.81.

An Norovirus Outbreak at a Local Festival in Chungnam Korea

• Lee H
• Kim D
• Park S
• Park J
• Nam HS
• Choi J
• Park J

• KMID: 2452049
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4167/jbv.2019.49.2.81

Abstract

Noroviruses (NoV) are the major viral pathogen causing epidemic acute gastroenteritis and outbreaks of foodborne and waterborne illness. During the local festival in Chungnam province, group food poisoning occurred outbreak by NoV infections in Jan 2019. In this study, epidemiological analysis and molecular characterization were conducted such as genotyping, phylogeny. The prevalent genotypes of food poisoning events were NoV GII.3 and GII.17, and NoV GII.3 and GII.17 isolates of this study were completely matched in nucleotide sequence comparison of capsid gene region, respectively. In underground water and stream water, various multiple genotypes of noroviruses were detected including NoV GII.3, GII.8 and GI.4 in aquatic environment of the local festival site. Among 32 worker samples, various NoVs of five genotypes (GI.7, GI.8, GII.3, GII.8, GII.17) were detected in 12 samples and expected to causing NoV contaminated by exposure to groundwater. NoV genotype GII.3, which was detected from groundwater 2, was completely consistent with that of patients and workers. Therefore, groundwater within the local festival site could be main cause of food poisoning event. Because NoV outbreaks are caused by fecal to oral transmission, proper management of sewage purification facilities, groundwater and sanitary toilets is required for many visitors, and efforts are needed to maintain clean environment.

Keyword

norovirus outbreak; group food poisoning; groundwater contamination

MeSH Terms

Base Sequence
Capsid
Chungcheongnam-do*
Disease Outbreaks
Epidemiologic Studies
Foodborne Diseases
Gastroenteritis
Genotype
Groundwater
Holidays*
Humans
Korea*
Norovirus*
Phylogeny
Rivers
Sewage
Water
Sewage
Water

Figure

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  Figure 1 Phylogenetic analysis of isolates in this study with reference strains for 254bp of capsid gene of norovirus GII.3

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  Figure 2 Phylogenetic analysis of isolates in this study with reference strains 255bp of capsid gene of for norovirus GII.17

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