This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Other Versions of this Article: JCM.02489-06v1 45/7/2205    most recent Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Reprints and Permissions Copyright Information Books from ASM Press MicrobeWorld Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Ho, E. C. M. Articles by Lim, W. W. L. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Ho, E. C. M. Articles by Lim, W. W. L.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Journal of Clinical Microbiology, July 2007, p. 2205-2211, Vol. 45, No. 7
0095-1137/07/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/JCM.02489-06
Copyright © 2007, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Atypical Norovirus Epidemic in Hong Kong during Summer of 2006 Caused by a New Genogroup II/4 Variant

Virology Division, Public Health Laboratory Services Branch, Centre for Health Protection, Department of Health, Hong Kong SAR, China

Received 13 December 2006/ Returned for modification 21 March 2007/ Accepted 20 April 2007

An atypically high level of norovirus activity was noticed in Hong Kong beginning in early May 2006. A study was carried out to investigate whether this was caused by a new norovirus variant. Epidemiological data including monthly positivity rates and the numbers of outbreaks per month from January to July 2006 were analyzed and compared to those from 2002 to 2005. In a comparison with the epidemiological data from 2001 to 2005, an atypical peak of norovirus-associated gastroenteritis outbreak was observed beginning in May 2006, concurring with a striking increase in norovirus activity. Most of the outbreaks (>60%) were located in homes for the elderly. Phylogenetic analysis for both RdRp and 5' capsid regions showed that this epidemic was caused by a new genogroup II/4 variant. This variant was genetically distinct from the predominant variants of 2002 and 2004 but was closely related to one of the 95/96-subset variants which caused an epidemic in Hong Kong in 2001, suggesting that the 95/96 subset may be starting to recirculate.

Published ahead of print on 2 May 2007.

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Tu, E. T.-V., Bull, R. A., Kim, M.-J., McIver, C. J., Heron, L., Rawlinson, W. D., White, P. A. (2008). Norovirus Excretion in an Aged-Care Setting. J. Clin. Microbiol. 46: 2119-2121 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Kroneman, A., Harris, J., Vennema, H., Duizer, E., van Duynhoven, Y., Gray, J., Iturriza, M., Bottiger, B., Falkenhorst, G., Johnsen, C., von Bonsdorff, C.-H., Maunula, L., Kuusi, M., Pothier, P., Gallay, A., Schreier, E., Koch, J., Szucs, G., Reuter, G., Krisztalovics, K., Lynch, M., McKeown, P., Foley, B., Coughlan, S., Ruggeri, F. M., Di Bartolo, I., Vainio, K., Isakbaeva, E., Poljsak-Prijatelj, M., Grom, A. H., Bosch, A., Buesa, J., Fauquier, A. S., Hernandez-Pezzi, G., Hedlund, K.-O., Koopmans, M. (2008). Data quality of 5 years of central norovirus outbreak reporting in the European Network for food-borne viruses. J Public Health (Oxf) 30: 82-90 [Abstract] [Full Text]