Investigation of an outbreak of rotavirus infection in geriatric patients by serotyping and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE)

✍ Scribed by H. M. Steel; S. Garnham; G. M. Beards; D. W. G. Brown

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1992
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 513 KB
• Volume: 37
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0146-6615
• DOI: 10.1002/jmv.1890370211

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

An outbreak of rotavirus diarrhoea amongst pa‐tients on two wards in a geriatric unit was inves‐ tigated using polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) and serotyping. There had been no con‐ tact between the patients on different wards but some interchange of staff had occurred so it was important to exclude the possibility that the rota‐virus had been spread by staff.

Two strains of rotavirus were shown to be present, one on each ward. Differences in the electropherotypes and serotypes were demon‐strated, showing conclusively that transfer of vi‐rus between the wards had not occurred. Thus, serotyping and PAGE are of value in the investi‐gation of rotavirus outbreaks in the hospital setting where cross‐infection between wards is suspected. © 1992 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.