First Sapovirus Outbreak in Taiwan

Fang-Tzy Wu

2007 Vol.23 NO.11

Correspondence Author： Fang-Tzy Wu

Abstract：

Sapovirus and norovirus are important causes of gastroenteritis in humans. Norovirus is very active in the winter; it is the main cause of gastroenteritis outbreaks in the world. Sapovirus usually causes sporadic diseases during late spring and early summer. On May 9, 2007, a university in Taipei reported an outbreak of gastroenteritis to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Between May 4 and May 14, 55 students reported having nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Stool samples from eight of the students were sent to CDC. No norovirus, rotavirus, or bacteria, regularly tested for gastrointestinal illness outbreaks, were found. Because the symptoms and incubation period were consistent with norovirus or sapovirus diseases, the samples were further tested for sapovirus. The results showed that this is the first outbreak of sapovirus gastroenteritis in Taiwan.
Keywords: sapovirus, gastroenteritis, gastroenteritis outbreaks, nucleic acid analysis