[The outbreak of acute gastroenteritis caused by Norwalk like viruses in Zadar general hospital (2007)].

OBJECTIVE

Early detection of clinical signs and symptoms of acute gastroenteritis and appropriate preventive measures to stop the spread of infection.

METHODS

Epidemiological inspection, clinical examination of hospitalized patients followed by standard bacteriologic and virologic analysis. Norovirus antigen was detected in stool specimen by enzyme immunoassay (EIA).

RESULTS

An epidemic of acute gastroenteritis caused by Norwalk like viruses lasted for two weeks (January 26-February 9, 2007). A total of 39 cases were recorded, including 22 (56.4%) inpatients and 17 (43.6%) healthcare workers with disease symptoms. All patients (n = 22; 100%) were hospitalized at Department of Internal Medicine, Cardiology Ward; 11 (64.7%) healthcare workers were working at Cardiology Ward, 3 (17.6%) at Diagnostic Cardiology Laboratory where patients underwent their diagnostic procedures, and 1 (5.9%) healthcare worker at Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care was patient consultant at Cardiac Intensive Care Unit. Other healthcare workers, 1 (5.9%) from Department of Neurosurgery and Department of Pathology each, were in family contact with two health care workers employed at Cardiology Ward.

DISCUSSION: The Hospital Infection Control Committee was informed about the outbreak of acute gastroenteritis on day 8 of the outbreak. Anti-epidemic measures (according to the source of infection detected and to the mechanisms of transmission) were implemented after epidemiological inspection on day 1 of event recording and continued for two more weeks after the occurrence of the disease clinical symptoms in the last patient involved.

CONCLUSION

It is necessary to promptly inform the Hospital Infection Control Committee on the epidemic outbreak for effective and timely anti-epidemic measures to stop the spread of acute gastroenteritis caused by Norwalk like viruses.