ROTAVIRUS, ASTROVIRUS AND ADENOVIRUS ASSOCIATED WITH AN OUTBREAK OF GASTROENTERITIS IN A SOUTH-AFRICAN CHILD-CARE CENTER

An outbreak of gastroenteritis in the infant-toddler unit of a child c are centre (CCC) in Pretoria, South Africa, was investigated for possi ble viral enteropathogens. Rotavirus was found in association with sev en (70%) diarrhoeal episodes. Go-infection with rotavirus and human as trovirus (HAstV) was demonstrated in two of these episodes, and rotavi rus, HAstV and enteric adenovirus (EAd) co-infection in another. Rotav irus occurred alone in four of the diarrhoeal episodes, while HAstV an d EAd were each detected alone in one episode. Two HAstV and one rotav irus asymptomatic infection episodes also occurred. Overall, 8 of 10 c hildren had rotavirus infections, of which 7 were symptomatic, 6 of 10 children had HAstV infections (4 symptomatic), and 2 of 10 children h ad EAd infection, both symptomatic. These results highlight the divers ity of viral enteropathogens that may be associated with a diarrhoeal outbreak in a CCC and emphasize the need to investigate the possibilit y that multiple enteropathogens may simultaneously cause a single outb reak of diarrhoea.