Abstract
This study aimed to inspect norovirus contamination of groundwater treatment systems used in food-catering facilities located in South Korea. A nationwide study was performed in 2010. Water samples were collected and, for the analysis of water quality, the temperature, pH, turbidity, and residual chlorine content were assessed. To detect norovirus genotypes GI and GII, RT-PCR and semi-nested PCR were performed with specific NV-GI and NV-GII primer sets, respectively. The PCR products amplified from the detected strains were then subjected to sequence analyses. Of 1,090 samples collected in 2010, seven (0.64%) were found to be norovirus-positive. Specifically, one norovirus strain was identified to have the GI-6 genotype, and six GII strains had the GII, GII-3, GII-4, and GII-17 genotypes. The very low detection rate of norovirus most likely reflects the preventative measures used. However, this virus can spread rapidly from person to person in crowded, enclosed places such as the schools investigated in this study. To promote better public health and sanitary conditions, it is necessary to periodically monitor noroviruses that frequently cause epidemic food poisoning in South Korea.
Highlights
Noroviruses (NoVs), the most common cause of epidemic food and waterborne viral gastroenteritis [1], are recognized as the most prevalent cause of severe epidemics of acute nonbacterial gastroenteritis worldwide, which is considered a significant public health burden [2].NoVs are a members of the Caliciviridae family and have a positive-sense, single-stranded RNA (7.4–8.3 kb) [3]
A number of outbreaks and sporadic cases have been caused by waterborne and foodborne NoVs in South Korea
During 2007–2009, NoV was responsible for 16.5% of the waterborne and foodborne disease outbreaks reported in South Korea [15]
Summary
Noroviruses (NoVs), the most common cause of epidemic food and waterborne viral gastroenteritis [1], are recognized as the most prevalent cause of severe epidemics of acute nonbacterial gastroenteritis worldwide, which is considered a significant public health burden [2]. In Sweden, numerous recent NoV outbreaks due to contaminated water and food, such as by eating shellfish and raw salad, have caused foodborne and waterborne gastroenteritis [10]. Numerous outbreaks of gastroenteritis were caused by NoV contamination in drinking water [13]. The number of patients with foodborne diseases has increased because of the increase in the incidence of eating out and in food-catering facilities in South Korea [14]. A number of outbreaks and sporadic cases have been caused by waterborne and foodborne NoVs in South Korea. During 2007–2009, NoV was responsible for 16.5% of the waterborne and foodborne disease outbreaks reported in South Korea [15]. Food-poisoning outbreaks in South Korea frequently involved NoV contamination in treated groundwater that is used for food-catering facilities. The aim of this study was to survey NoVs in the groundwater which was treated by groundwater treatment systems, in food catering facilities located in South Korea
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