Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety (한국식품위생안전성학회지)

The Korean Society of Food Hygiene and Safety (한국식품위생안전성학회)
권호 표지
DOI QR코드

DOI QR Code

Molecular Epidemiology of Norovirus in Asymptomatic Food Handlers in South Korea

  • Lee, Jeong Su (Food Microbiology Division, Food Safety Evaluation Department, National Institute of Food and Drug Safety Evaluation) ;
  • Jeong, Min Hee (Food Microbiology Division, Food Safety Evaluation Department, National Institute of Food and Drug Safety Evaluation) ;
  • Ju, Si Yeon (Food Microbiology Division, Food Safety Evaluation Department, National Institute of Food and Drug Safety Evaluation) ;
  • Kang, Kyung Ah (Food Microbiology Division, Food Safety Evaluation Department, National Institute of Food and Drug Safety Evaluation) ;
  • Joo, In Sun (Food Microbiology Division, Food Safety Evaluation Department, National Institute of Food and Drug Safety Evaluation)
  • Received : 2017.04.28
  • Accepted : 2017.10.11
  • Published : 2017.12.30
Download PDF
⟨ Previous Next ⟩

Abstract

Norovirus (NoV) is the most common cause of acute gastroenteritis in all age groups worldwide. In this study, prevalence of asymptomatic norovirus infection was investigated in food handler being employed at food catering facilities in South Korea. A total of 2,729 fecal specimens from asymptomatic food handlers were analyzed, and 1.06% of food handlers (29/2,729) had asymptomatic NoV infection. Of these, 17.2% (5/29) were positive for NoV GI and 82.7% (24/29) were positive for NoV GII. Especially, sequencing and phylogenetic analysis showed that GII-4 was the most prevalent genotype and a large number of asymptomatic food handlers were infested with norovirus GII-4 strains. The results of this study show that asymptomatic food handlers may be potential transmission sources for NoV infection. These results emphasize the need for training of food catering employees about norovirus prevention. Asymptomatic norovirus infection should receive more attention.

노로바이러스는 전세계적으로 모든 연령에게 급성 장염을 일으키는 주요 원인체이다. 본 연구는 국내 식품업계의 식품종사자를 대상으로 무증상 노로바이러스 감염의 유행성을 조사하였다. 2,729명의 식품종사자에서 29명(1.06%)이 무증상 노로바이러스로 확인되었고 이 중 5명(17.24%)은 노로바이러스 GI 양성이었고 24명(82.76%)은 노로바이러스 GII 양성이었다. 특히 유전자 염기서열 분석과 계통 분석에서 GII-4 유전자형이 가장 유행성이 높은 것으로 나타났으며 많은 수의 무증상 식품종사자는 노로바이러스 GII-4 에 감염되어있었다. 따라서 본 연구의 결과는 무증상 식품종사자가 노로바이러스 감염에 잠재적인 전파 원인일 가능성이 있음을 보여준다. 또한 이러한 결과는 노로바이러스 예방에 대한 식품업체의 교육의 필요성을 강조한다. 무증상 노로바이러스 감염에 더 많은 주의를 기울여야 할 것이다.

Keywords

References

  1. Ozawa, K., Oka, T., Takeda, N., Hansman, G.S.: Norovirus infections in symptomatic and asymptomatic food handlers in Japan. J. Clin. Microbiol, 45, 3996-4005 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1128/JCM.01516-07
  2. White, P.A.: Evolution of norovirus. Clin. Microbiol. Infect, 20, 741-745 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1111/1469-0691.12746
  3. Trujillo, A.A., McCaustland, K.A., Zheng, D.P., Hadle, L.A., Vaughn, G., Adams, S.M., Ando, T., Glass, R.I., Monroe, S.S.: Use of TaqMan real-time reverse transcription-PCR for rapid detection, quantification, and typing of norovirus. J. Clin. Microbiol, 44, 1405-1412 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1128/JCM.44.4.1405-1412.2006
  4. Lu, J., Sun, L., Fang, L., Yang, F., Mo, Y., Lao, J., Zheng, H., Tan, X., Lin, H., Rutherford, S., Guo, L., Ke, C., Hui, L.: Gastroenteritis Outbreaks Caused by Norovirus GII.17, Guangdong Province, China, 2014-2015. Emerg. Infect. Dis, 21, 1240-1242 (2015). https://doi.org/10.3201/eid2107.150226
  5. Cho M.G., Jeong H.M., Ahn J.B.: Detection of feline calicivirus as norovirus surrogate in food and water sources using filtration and real-time RT-PCR. Food Sci. Biotechnol, 20, 1475 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10068-011-0204-5
  6. Garcia, C., DuPont, H.L., Long, K.Z., Santos, J.I., Ko, G.: Asymptomatic norovirus infection in Mexican children. J. Clin. Microbiol, 44, 2997-3000 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1128/JCM.00065-06
  7. Qi, R., Ye, C., Chen, C., Yao, P., Hu, F., Lin, Q.: Norovirus prevention and the prevalence of asymptomatic norovirus infection in kindergartens and primary schools in Changzhou, China: Status of the knowledge, attitudes, behaviors, and requirements. Am. J. Infect. Control, 43, 833-838 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajic.2015.04.182
  8. Sukhrie, F.H., Teunis, P., Vennema, H., Copra, C., Thijs, M.F., Bogerman, J., Koopmans, M.: Nosocomial transmission of norovirus is mainly caused by symptomatic cases. Clin. Infect. Dis, 54, 931-937 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1093/cid/cir971
  9. Gong Y.W., Oh B.Y., Kim H.Y., Lee M.Y., Kim Y.H., Go J.M., Lee J.M., Jeong H.S., Cheon D.S.: Molecular epidemiologic investigation of Norovirus infections in Incheon City, Korea, from 2005 to 2007. J. Bacteriol. Virol, 38, 249-257 (2008). https://doi.org/10.4167/jbv.2008.38.4.249
  10. Koh S.J., Cho H.G., Kim B.H., Choi B.Y.: An outbreak of gastroenteritis caused by norovirus-contaminated groundwater at a waterpark in Korea. J. Korean Med. Sci, 26, 28-32 (2011).
  11. Lowther, J.A., Gustar, N.E., Powell, A.L., Hartnell, R.E., Lees, D.N.: Two-year systematic study to assess norovirus contamination in oysters from commercial harvesting areas in the United Kingdom. Appl. Environ. Microb, 78, 5812-5817 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1128/AEM.01046-12
  12. Yu J.H., Kim N.Y., Lee E.J., Jeon I.S.: Norovirus infections in asymptomatic food handlers in elementary schools without norovirus outbreaks in some regions of Incheon, Korea. J. Korean Med. Sci, 26, 734-739 (2011). https://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2011.26.6.734
  13. Ayukekbong, J.A., Andersson, M.E., Vansarla, G., Tah, F., Nkuo-Akenji, T., Lindh, M., Bergstrom, T.: Monitoring of seasonality of norovirus and other enteric viruses in Cameroon by real-time PCR: an exploratory study. Epidemiol. Infect, 142, 1393-402 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1017/S095026881300232X
  14. Park D.J., Kim J.S., Park J.Y., Kim H.S., Song W., Hur M., Lee K.M.: Epidemiological analysis of norovirus infection between March 2007 and February 2010. Korean J. Lab. Med, 30, 647-653 (2010). https://doi.org/10.3343/kjlm.2010.30.6.647
  15. Barrabeig, I., Rovira, A., Buesa, J., Bartolome, R., Pinto, R., Prellezo, H., Dominguez, A.: Foodborne norovirus outbreak: the role of an asymptomatic food handler. BMC Infect. Dis, 10, 269 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2334-10-269
  16. Gallimore, C.I., Cubitt, D., du Plessis, N., Gray, J.J.: Asymptomatic and symptomatic excretion of noroviruses during a hospital outbreak of gastroenteritis. J. Clin. Microbiol, 42, 2271-2274 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1128/JCM.42.5.2271-2274.2004
  17. Cheon D.S., Jeong H.S., Jeong A., Lee K.B., Lee M.H., Tahk H., Choi C.: Seasonal prevalence of asymptomatic norovirus infection in Korean children. Foodborne Pathog. Dis, 7, 1427-1430 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1089/fpd.2010.0547
  18. Shinkawa, N., Noda, M., Yoshizumi, S., Tokutake, Y., Shiraishi, T., Arita-Nishida, T., Nishio, O.: Molecular epidemiology of noroviruses detected in food handler-associated outbreaks of gastroenteritis in Japan. Intervirology, 51, 422-426 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1159/000205527
  19. Barreira, D.M., Ferreira, M.S., Fumia, T.M., Checon, R., de Sadovsky, A.D.: Viral load and genotypes of noroviruses in symptomatic and asymptomatic children in Southeastern Brazil. J. Clin. Virol, 47, 60-64 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcv.2009.11.012
  20. Widdowson, M.A., Sulka, A., Bulens, S.N., Beard, R.S., Chaves, S.S., Hammond, R., Salehi, E.D.: Norovirus and foodborne disease, United States, 1991-2000. Emerg. Infect. Dis, 11, 95-102 (2005). https://doi.org/10.3201/eid1101.040426
  21. Chen, M.Y., Chen, W.C., Chen, P.C., Hsu, S.W., Lo, Y.C.: An outbreak of norovirus gastroenteritis associated with asymptomatic food handlers in Kinmen, Taiwan. BMC Public Health, 16, 372 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-016-3046-5
  22. Yu J.H., Kim N.Y., Koh Y.J., Lee H.J.: Epidemiology of foodborne Norovirus outbreak in Incheon, Korea. J. Korean Med. Sci, 25, 1128-1133 (2010). https://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2010.25.8.1128