Residents had an Increasing Risk of Norovirus Gastroenteritis Infection Than Health Care Workers During an Outbreak in a Nursing Home

Objectives

To study norovirus gastroenteritis infection among residents and health care workers (HCWs) during an outbreak in a nursing home by investigating the attack rate and positive diagnostic rate for norovirus by reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).

Methods

All members in a Chang Gung Memorial Hospital–affiliated nursing home from November 17, 2006, to November 25, 2006, including 236 residents and 125 HCWs, whose available medical records were available were consecutively included in the retrospective analysis. Fecal specimens of symptomatic residents and HCWs were tested for norovirus by RT-PCR. In addition, routine stool analysis and a stool culture study were conducted to identify the bacterial and parasitic agents. The fecal specimens of asymptomatic residents and HCWs were tested only for norovirus by RT-PCR.

Results

The outbreak was controlled within 9 days during the outbreak period. There were 51 symptomatic cases, 41 residents and 10 HCWs, during the norovirus outbreak. The odds ratio (OR) of the attack rate in the residents was approximately 2.4 times higher than that in the HCWs (OR: 2.4; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.2–5.0; P = .015). Norovirus was detected in 59 (30.6%) of 193 residents and in 11 (10.5%) of 105 HCWs who provided stool specimens for the study by RT-PCR. The OR of the positive diagnostic rate for norovirus by RT-PCR in the residents was approximately 3.8 times higher than that in the HCWs (OR: 3.8; 95% CI: 1.9–7.5; P < .001).

Conclusions

During an outbreak of norovirus gastroenteritis in a nursing home, the infection can be easily transmitted from person to person and affects both residents and HCWs. In addition, residents had a higher risk of norovirus gastroenteritis infection than HCWs.

Keywords: Norovirus, outbreak, nursing home