Molecular features of astrovirus associated with a gastroenteritis outbreak in an aged-care centre

The study presented here was conducted in order to gain a better understanding of the role of astroviruses (AsVs) in outbreaks of gastroenteritis among the elderly. This report is the first to provide detailed information on the molecular characteristics of an AsV causing an outbreak in an aged-care centre and is the first to clearly establish that individuals infected in such an outbreak were, in fact, elderly. The outbreak under investigation took place in Victoria, Australia, in October 2005. Twelve individuals (mean age ± standard deviation [SD] 85.5 ± 12.3 years) became ill during the outbreak from a total population of 86 susceptible residents. The mean duration (±SD) of illness was 2.3 ± 1.6 days; symptoms included diarrhoea, abdominal pain, nausea and headache. No bacterial pathogens were detected. AsV was identified in five faecal specimens using electron microscopy and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction methodologies; no other gastroenteritis virus was detected. Nucleotide sequence analysis indicated the AsV identified could be assigned to the 1d lineage of AsV serotype 1 and that the AsV was not a recombinant form. The findings, taken together with previous work, indicate the AsV serotype most commonly associated with gastroenteritis outbreaks among the elderly is serotype 1 AsV.