Abstract:
Objective To investigate the infection status of norovirus in food practitioners in schools in Guangdong province, and provide evidence for the prevention and control of norovirus infection outbreaks in schools.
Methods A cross-sectional survey with convenient sampling method was conducted to collect the anal swabs of food practitioners in 9 schools within 1 week before the school open and 5–6 weeks after school open in spring and within 1 week before school open and 5–6 weeks after the school open in autumn in Guangzhou, Zhuhai, Zhongshan and Jiangmen, The norovirus nucleic acid was detected by real-time PCR, and the influencing factors of norovirus infection in food practitioners were identified by logistic regression analysis.
Results A total of 1747 samples were collected. The positive rate of norovirus was 1.43% (n=25), and the attack rate of acute gastroenteritis was 1.26% (n=24). There was no differences in norovirus infection rate in food practitioners in different areas, in different types of schools, before and after school open, and with different types of work (P>0.05). Most infected persons (84.00%) were asymptomatic. The risk factors of norovirus infection were attending village banquet (OR=8.36, 95% CI : 2.27–30.89) and norovirus infection in family (OR=10.94, 95% CI: 2.92–40.96). The main risk factor of acute gastroenteritis was eating in restaurant (OR=4.88, 95% CI: 1.77–13.51).
Conclusion The incidence of norovirus infection in food practitioners of schools is generally low, and most infections are asymptomatic, but food and water might be contaminated in food processing, resulting norovirus infection epidemics in schools. It is necessary to strengthen the norovirus infection surveillance, health management and health education in food practitioners in schools.
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