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An out-break of acute gastroenteritis due to rotavirus in an infant home
Insights
A 1976 Sapporo infant home outbreak was caused by rotavirus infection. Clinical symptoms like diarrhea and vomiting varied by age, with younger infants experiencing more diarrhea and older infants showing more vomiting or fever.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Virology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- An acute infectious diarrhea outbreak occurred in a Sapporo infant home in December 1976.
- Rotavirus infection was identified as the causative agent in the majority of affected infants.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the cause and clinical manifestations of an infant diarrhea outbreak.
- To analyze age-dependent differences in rotavirus infection symptoms.
Main Methods:
- Serologic and electron microscopic examinations to confirm rotavirus infection.
- Clinical observation of symptoms including diarrhea, vomiting, and fever.
- Complement-fixation tests to explore age-related variations using human and calf rotavirus strains.
Main Results:
- Rotavirus infection was confirmed in 90% (42/47) of infants.
- 38 out of 42 infected infants (90%) exhibited clinical symptoms.
- Symptom presentation differed by age: younger infants (<6 months) predominantly had diarrhea, while older infants showed more vomiting and fever.
Conclusions:
- Rotavirus was the primary cause of the infant diarrhea outbreak.
- Age significantly influences the clinical presentation of rotavirus infection in infants.
- Further research into age-specific immune responses may explain these variations.
Abstract:
In December 1976, an outbreak of acute infectious diarrhea occurred among infants who resided in an infant home in the city of Sapporo. Rotavirus infection was proved in 42 (90%) of 47 infants by serologic and/or electron microscopic examinations. Out of 42 infected infants 38(90%) were clinically affected; diarrhea with or without vomiting in 27 (64%), vomiting without diarrhea in 6 (14%) and only febrile episode in 5 (12%). The remaining 4(10%) infants showed no symptoms. Clinical manifestations seemed to differ depending on age. Diarrhea without vomiting was more common in the patients younger than 6 months of age, and vomiting or fever was more common in the groups of older age. Possible reasons for such an age dependency were discussed on the basis of complement-fixation tests using human and calf strains of rotavirus.