Epidemiology of foodborne Norovirus outbreaks in Catalonia, Spain

Background: Noroviruses are one of the principal biological agents associated with the consumption of contaminated food. The objective of this study was to analyse the size and epidemiological characteristics of foodborne outbreaks of gastroenteritis in Catalonia, a region in the northeast of Spain. Methods: In all reported outbreaks of gastroenteritis associated with food consumption, faecal samples of persons affected were analysed for bacteria and viruses and selectively for parasites. Study variables included the setting, the number of people exposed, age, sex, clinical signs and hospital admissions. The study was carried out from October 2004 to October 2005. Results: Of the 181 outbreaks reported during the study period, 72 were caused by Salmonella and 30 by norovirus (NoV); the incidence rates were 14.5 and 9.9 per 100,000 person-years, respectively. In 50% of the NoV outbreaks and 27% of the bacterial outbreaks (p = 0.03) the number of persons affected was ���10; 66.7% of NoV outbreaks occurred in restaurants; no differences in the attack rates were observed according to the etiology. Hospitalizations were more common (p = 0.03) in bacterial outbreaks (8.6%) than in NoV outbreaks (0.15%). Secondary cases accounted for 4% of cases in NoV outbreaks compared with 0.3% of cases in bacterial outbreaks (p < 0.001) Conclusion: Norovirus outbreaks were larger but less frequent than bacterial outbreaks, suggesting that underreporting is greater for NoV outbreaks. Food handlers should receive training on the transmission of infections in diverse situations. Very strict control measures on handwashing and environmental disinfection should be adopted in closed or partially-closed institutions.

A controlled trial comparing the efficacy of rice-based and hypotonic glucose oral rehydration solutions in infants and young children with gastroenteritis

A prospective randomized trial was conducted to compare the efficacy of a rice-based oral rehydration solution (ORS) with glucose ORS in infants and children under 5 years of age with acute diarrhoea and mild to moderate dehydration (&lt;10%). One hundred children presenting to a large metropolitan teaching hospital were eligible for entry to the study and were randomized to receive rice ORS or glucose ORS. Outcome measures were stool output (SO), duration of illness (DD) and recovery time to introduction of other fluids (RTF) and diet (RTD). Significant differences were found for all outcome measures in favour of the rice ORS group. Mean SO was lower (160 vs 213 mt; P&lt;0.02), mean DD was reduced (17.3 vs 24.3 h; P = 0.03) and median RTF was decreased (12.7 vs 18.1 h; P&lt; 0.001) in the rice ORS group compared with the glucose ORS group. The median rime to introduction of diet and mean length of hospital stay showed similar significant reductions. Our study has shown rice ORS to be an acceptable alternative to glucose ORS in young children and have shown that it is significantly more effective in reducing the course of diarrhoeal illness and the time taken to return to normal drinking and eating habits.

Monitoring of Group C Rotavirus in Children With Acute Gastroenteritis in Brazil: An Emergent Epidemiological Issue After Rotavirus Vaccine?

Group C rotavirus (GpCRV) has a worldwide distribution; however, its epidemiology and ecology are still unclear. Evidence for a possible zoonotic role has been postulated recently for Brazilian children strains. The aim of this study was to monitor GpCRV in children <= 15 years with acute gastroenteritis during the 2007-2010 national Brazilian rotavirus surveillance, and to undertake the molecular characterization of the major VP6 capsid protein. A total of 3,019 fecal samples were first screened for Group A rotavirus (GpARV). A total of 2,205 GpARV ELISA negative samples were tested further for the presence of GpCRV by SDS-PAGE, electronic microscopy, and RT-PCR for the VP6 gene. The genetic diversity of GpCRV was carried out by sequencing the VP6 gene. GpARV and GpCRV infections were detected in 24.6% (742/3,019) and 0.3% (8/3,019), respectively. The GpCRV detection rate increased from 0.2% (1/422) in 2007 to 1% (7/708) in 2008, and GpCRV cases were not detected in 2009 and 2010. The phylogenetic analysis indicated that the strains belonged to the human lineage, and showed a genetic relationship with the GpCRV strain from Japan isolated in 2009. None of the study sequences was related closely to animal GpCRV strains. This study provides further evidence that GpCRV is a minor cause of acute childhood gastroenteritis in Brazil, and does not suggest that GpCRV may assume epidemiological importance in the future, even after the introduction of a GpARV vaccine. In addition, the molecular analyses of the GpCRV samples in this study do not support the zoonotic hypothesis. J. Med. Virol. 83: 1631-1636, 2011. (C) 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Gastroenteritis humanas associadas a Vibrio parahaemolyticus no Recife, Brasil

Realizou-se estudo sobre a ocorr��ncia do Vibrio parahaemolyticus em 1.100 fezes diarr��icas, enviadas rotineiramente a laborat��rio cl��nico privado do Recife, para diagn��stico microbiol��gico. Isolou-se o V. parahaemolyticus de 14 (1,3%) amostras fecais. Entretanto, se n��s consideramos apenas os esp��cimes dos pacientes adultos, a taxa de isolamento do V. parahaemolyticus elevou-se para 7,1%. Na maioria dos casos (92,86%), o V. parahaemolyticus foi o ��nico enteropat��geno reconhecido. Demonstraram-se sete ant��genos K entre as cepas isoladas e tr��s n��o puderam ser sorotipadas. Apenas duas linhagens, ambas ureol��ticas, n��o produziram a toxina direta termoest��vel. N��s conclu��mos que o V. parahaemolyticus �� importante causa de diarr��ia do adulto no Recife, em consumidores de frutos do mar.

The epidemiology of acute viral gastroenteritis in hospitalized children in Cordoba city, Argentina: an insight of disease burden

Information concerning the disease burden of viral gastroenteritis has important implications for the use and monitoring the impact of public health policies. The present study, carried out in C��rdoba city, Argentina, documents the epidemiology of severe viral diarrhea as well as the burden of viral gastrointestinal disease in the hospital children admission. A total of 133 stools were collected from hospitalized children (Town Childhood Hospital) suffering from acute diarrhea and studied for the presence of Group A rotavirus, astrovirus and adenovirus 40/41 by enzyme-immuno assay, between November 1997 and October 1998. Enteric viruses accounted for 42.1% of the total diarrheal cases analyzed. Group A rotaviruses, astroviruses, adenoviruses 40/41 and mixed infections were found in 35.3, 4.5, 1.5, and 0.8% studied specimens respectively. We estimated that 1 in 27 children in the 0-35 month-old cohort/range would be annually hospitalized for a viral gastroenteritis illness. The major impact on viral diarrhea lies on rotaviral infection, accouting for 84.0% of the viral diarrheal cases analyzed and for approximately one third of severe diarrheas requiring hospital admission in C��rdoba City, Argentina.

Rotavirus genotyping in gastroenteritis cases of an infantile population from Western Brazilian Amazonia

INTRODUCTION: During the period from 2000 to 2002, 79 rotavirus-positive stool samples were collected from children presenting diarrhea in the Western Brazilian Amazon. METHODS: Molecular characterization of the G and P genotypes was performed using RT-PCR and electropherotyping analysis by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. RESULTS: A total of 59 samples were confirmed as group A rotavirus. A long electrophoretic profile was exhibited by the G1P[8], G3P[8], and G4P[8] genotypes. The G1P[8] genotype was found in greater proportion. The short electropherotype was exhibited only by G2 genotype strains. CONCLUSIONS: The proportion of the rotavirus genotypes observed was not different from that in other areas of Brazil. This study is the first genotyping of rotavirus in the Western Brazilian Amazon.

Rotavirus G2P[4] and G2P[4]+[6] infections during norovirus gastroenteritis outbreak: summer season 2010, Brazil

IntroductionThis study aimed to monitor the seasonality of rotavirus infection, and gain insight into the variability of Brazilian strains.MethodsA total of 28 stool samples were analyzed from 698 revised cases of gastroenteritis during a norovirus outbreak in the summer of 2010 in Guaruj��, Brazil. Diagnosis was performed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and sequencing.ResultsRotavirus infection was detected in 17.9% (5/28) of samples; 4 samples were G2P[4] genotype, and one G2P[4]+P[6] genotype. G2 and P[4] sequences showed a genetic relationship to strains from India and Russia, respectively.ConclusionsThe seasonal pattern of rotavirus may be a consequence of human activity apart from climate factors.

Marco institucional formal de la creaci��n de empresas en Catalunya: oferta y demanda de servicios de apoyo

El apoyo y el fomento a la creaci��n de nuevas empresas se ha convertido en las ��ltimas d��cadas en objetivo principal de las administraciones p��blicas, justificado principalmente por la incidencia positiva que tienen las mismas tanto en la generaci��n de puestos de trabajo como en el crecimiento econ��mico y en el potencial innovador. En esta investigaci��n se analiza el marco institucional formal de la creaci��n de empresas en Catalunya, tanto desde el punto de vista de la oferta (instituciones y programas de apoyo) como desde el punto de vista de la demanda (nuevos empresarios), tomando la teor��a institucional como marco te��rico. Para el estudio de la oferta se entrevistaron 20 responsables del ��rea de creaci��n de empresas de las instituciones catalanas m��s relevantes, completando dicha informaci��n con fuentes de datos secundarios (folletos de las instituciones, memorias, estad��sticas, etc.). Para el an��lisis de la demanda se realizaron 307 encuestas telef��nicas a empresarios potenciales y 60 entrevistas personales a empresarios actuales. Los resultados del presente trabajo ponen de manifiesto que en Catalunya existen muchas instituciones y programas de apoyo a la creaci��n de empresas. Esta diversificaci��n, junto a la falta de coordinaci��n entre las instituciones implicadas, conduce a duplicaciones y solapamientos en la oferta de programas destinados a las nuevas empresas. En cuanto a la demanda, los resultados reflejan que la muestra de empresarios potenciales conoce y ha utilizado en mayor medida los programas de apoyo que la muestra de empresarios actuales. Por otra parte, ambas muestras valoran mejor los programas no econ��micos que los econ��micos, habiendo tenido tambi��n ��stos mayor importancia en el proceso de creaci��n de la empresa.

La Transici�� nutricional a la Catalunya contempor��nia 1780-1936

Un dels principals exponents del progr��s en el nivell de vida ��s l���exist��ncia d���un acc��s generalitzat i regular de la poblaci�� a una ingesta d���aliments suficient i de qualitat, que cobreixi de forma adequada els requeriments pel ple desenvolupament fisiol��gic i que suposi la reducci�� al m��nim de les malalties associades a l���alimentaci��. Durant una gran part de la hist��ria, l���alimentaci�� de les poblacions humanes, i en particular de les europees, s���ha caracteritzat per la seva monotonia i la irregularitat en la disponibilitat dels aliments m��s importants. Aquestes, juntament amb un deficient tractament higi��nic i de conservaci�� dels aliments ingerits, seran les notes dominants dels sistemes alimentaris europeus durant molts segles. Va ser des de finals del segle XVIII i principis del segle XIX quan, simult��niament al desenvolupament de la producci�� agr��ria i a la industrialitzaci��, es va iniciar el que es considera com una transici�� nutricional o diet��tica moderna, que ha culminat a la segona meitat del segle XX amb profunds canvis en els sistemes alimentaris. Catalunya no estar�� al marge d���aquestes transformacions, i experimentar�� des del segle XVIII importants canvis en els seus sistemes agraris, els seus sistemes alimentaris, els canals de distribuci�� i el modern tractament dels aliment. L���objectiu d���aquest treball ��s doncs, analitzar com es manifesta aquesta transici�� aliment��ria a la Catalunya contempor��nia, que es situa entre mitjans segle XIX i la guerra civil.