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. 2021 Dec 1;11(1):23218.
doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-02348-2.

Norovirus outbreaks in long-term care facilities in Catalonia from 2017 to 2018

Ignacio Parrón  1   2 , Irene Barrabeig  3   4 , Miquel Alseda  5 , Cristina Rius  4   6 , Thais Cornejo-Sánchez  7 , Mireia Jané  8   4   9 , Cristina Pérez  3 , Susana Guix  10   11 , Àngela Domínguez  8   4 ; Working Group for the Study of Outbreaks of Acute Gastroenteritis in Catalonia
Collaborators, Affiliations

Norovirus outbreaks in long-term care facilities in Catalonia from 2017 to 2018

Ignacio Parrón et al. Sci Rep. .

Abstract

Norovirus is the leading cause of outbreaks of acute viral gastroenteritis. We carried out this study to investigate outbreaks in long-term care facilities reported in 2017 and 2018 in Catalonia (Spain). The characteristics of the centers, exposed persons and the genogroups responsible were analyzed. Viral loads were estimated. The attack rate (AR) of the outbreaks studied, and the rate ratio (RR) and the odds ratio (OR) and their 95% confidence intervals as measures of association were calculated. The mean cycle thresholds were compared using the t-test for independent means. We included 30 outbreaks (4631 exposed people). The global AR was 25.93%. The RR of residents vs. staff was 2.28 (95% CI 2.0-2.6). The RR between AR in residents with total or severe dependence vs. residents with moderate, low or no-dependence was 1.23 (95% CI 1.05-1.45). The AR were higher in smaller centers than in larger ones (38.47% vs. 19.25% and RR 2; 95% CI 1.82-2.2). GII was responsible for 70% of outbreaks. No association was found between the genogroup and presenting symptoms (OR 0.96; 95% CI 0.41-2.26). Viral loads were higher in symptomatic than in asymptomatic patients (p = 0.001).

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Number of acute gastroenteritis outbreaks due to norovirus in long-term care facilities according to the month of onset and mode of transmission.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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