Etiological characteristics of an acute gastroenteritis outbreak in Huzhou, Zhejiang, 2022

Objective To identify the pathogen of an outbreak of acute gastroenteritis occurred in a child care setting in Huzhou, Zhejiang province, in 2022, and analyze the molecular characteristics of sapovirus isolated from the acute gastroenteritis cases in the outbreak.

Methods Multiplex fluorescent polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used for the nucleic acid detections of rotavirus, norovirus, sapovirus, astrovirus and intestinal adenovirus. sapovirus positive samples were further amplified and sequenced by using reverse transcription-RT-PCR for partial fragments of RdRp and VP1 regions, and phylogenetic analysis was performed to identify the virus genotype.

Results In the 14 anal swabs and 5 environmental samples submitted for the detection, 4 were positive for sapovirus, while the remaining samples were all negative. 4 positive samples were successfully sequenced. Phylogenetic analysis on the RdRp and VP1 regions of the strains showed that they were sapovirus GⅡ.3.

Conclusion The acute gastroenteritis outbreak occurred in the child care setting was caused by infection of sapovirus GⅡ.3. It is necessary to strengthen the outbreak monitoring of sapovirus and provide laboratory technical support for the prevention and control of sapovirus gastroenteritis.