Surveillance of Norwalk associated group infections in Baden-Wurttemberg. Isolation and detection of Norwalk-RNA from stool samples by RT-PCR

Between the turn of the years 98/99 and 99/2000, stool samples from various health departments in the south of Germany were sent to the LGA (Landesges undheitsamt Baden-Wurttemberg). Different testings as bacteriological routi nes for enterobacteriaceae and virological antigen screenings of the stool samples for adeno-, astro-and rotaviruses lead to negative results. Additio nal RT-PCR tests for the presence of Norwalk-RNA showed nearly 40% of posit ive samples. From 14 group infections between december 98 and january 2000, 286 samples in total were sent to the LGA, 118 of them gave positive resul ts for the norwalk agent. For the verification of the analysis, some random samples were sent to the Robert-Koch-Institut, div. of molecular virology at Berlin, where the results were confirmed.