September 1, 1996Open Access
View Full PaperMolecular Detection and Epidemiology of Small Round-Structured Viruses in Outbreaks of Gastroenteritis in the Netherlands
Key Result
Small round-structured viruses were detected in 86% of reported gastroenteritis outbreaks by electron microscopy and 91% by RT-PCR, suggesting epidemic spread in the Netherlands.
Study Design
Type
Observational
Structured PICO
P
Population
Outbreaks of gastroenteritis reported to the RIVM in the Netherlands in 1994 and 1995.
E
Exposure
Detection using electron microscopy (EM), single-round reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and sequencing
O
Outcome
Detection rate of small round-structured viruses (SRSV)
SRSV was detected in the vast majority of gastroenteritis outbreaks in the Netherlands in 1994-1995, with two different viral clusters responsible for most outbreaks, suggesting epidemic spread.
Abstract
To study the epidemiology of small round-structured viruses (SRSV) in the Netherlands, all outbreaks of gastroenteritis that were reported to the Research Laboratory for Infectious Diseases, Department of Virology, National Institute of Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) in 1994 and 1995 were examined using electron microscopy (EM), single-round reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and sequencing. To enable this, a generic SRSV-specific primer pair was developed that could detect 85% of a panel of antigenically diverse SRSV. By EM, SRSV could be detected in 86% and by RT-PCR in 91% of the reported gastroenteritis outbreaks. Partial sequence analysis of the polymerase region of these viruses revealed that two different clusters of viruses were responsible for the majority of the outbreaks. This strongly suggests epidemic spread of SRSV in the Netherlands.