A LARGE OUTBREAK OF ACUTE GASTROENTERITIS ASSOCIATED WITH ASTROVIRUS AMONG STUDENTS AND TEACHERS IN OSAKA, JAPAN

In June 1991, a large outbreak of acute nonbacterial gastroenteritis o ccurred among students and teachers at 10 primary and 4 junior high sc hools in Katano City, Osaka, Japan. The outbreak affected > 4700 perso ns, lasted 5 days, and was believed to have been linked to contaminate d food from a common supplier. Astrovirus, identified as the etiologic agent, was detected by direct electron microscopy in 10 of 38 fecal s amples obtained from patients with diarrhea. Detection was confirmed b y solid-phase immune electron microscopy (IEM), EIA, reverse transcrip tion-polymerase chain reaction, and virus isolation in CaCo-2 cells. S everal patients who had astrovirus in their stool also demonstrated a significant antibody response to a reference strain of astrovirus by I EM and EIA and to their own isolate by IEM. Astrovirus can be an impor tant agent of epidemic acute nonbacterial gastroenteritis in school-ag ed children and adults in Japan.