Molecular epidemiology research on an outbreak of acute gastroenteritis by Norwalk-like virus

Objective This study was conducted to investigate the pathogen of an outbreak of acute gastroenteritis in 2005, and to provide scientific data for the control of infectious diseases and instructions on clinical therapy. Methods 15 stool samples from diarrhea patients and related people were collected, and RT-PCR and real-time PCR were used to detect the virus RNA. Results 10 out of 15 samples had been confirmed for tested positive (66.7%), the coincidence rate between of the two methods was 100%. The DNA sequence was tested in positive samples were partially sequencetod and analyzmakeing for homologicaly and evolutional analysis. Conclusion The outbreak was caused by Norwalk-like virus G2 type, and 9 out of 10 cases was 100% homological, and the 1 left is 99.8% homological to the others. The epidemic strain (05-53-61 and 05-63) was 96% and 95% homologicaly to Norwalk virus strain SaitamaU201 and SaitamaU18, respectively. It was 76.4% and 76.7% homologicaly to the strain 97-11 and 97-30 in Shenzhen.