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Parvovirus gastroenteritis--a new entity for Australia.
The Medical Journal of Australia
|February 11, 1978
Summary
A 1977 Sydney primary school outbreak of acute gastroenteritis was linked to parvovirus-like particles. These viral agents were detected in patient stool samples and associated with antibody development.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Epidemiology
- Public Health
Background:
- An acute gastroenteritis outbreak affected a primary school in Sydney in 1977.
- The outbreak involved 208 pupils and 9 teachers over one month.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify the causative agent of the gastroenteritis outbreak.
- To investigate the viral presence and immune response in affected individuals.
Main Methods:
- Electron microscopy was used to examine fecal extracts.
- Immune electron microscopy was employed to detect specific antibodies.
Main Results:
- Parvovirus-like particles were identified in fecal samples from 14 of 23 individuals during the acute illness phase.
- Viral particles persisted in the feces of four individuals for up to six weeks.
- Specific antibodies were detected in five patients, indicating an immune response.
Conclusions:
- Parvovirus-like particles are the likely cause of the 1977 Sydney primary school gastroenteritis outbreak.
- The virus demonstrated prolonged shedding in some individuals.
- Further research into parvovirus-like agents in gastroenteritis outbreaks is warranted.