Acute gastroenteritis outbreaks in closed and semi-closed facilities during 2017 in Catalonia, Spain

Outbreaks of Gastroenteritis Due to Norovirus in Schools and Summer Camps in Catalonia, 2017-2019

We studied outbreaks of acute gastroenteritis due to norovirus in schools and summer camps during 2017–2019 in Catalonia (Spain). The overall attack rate was 21.27% in schools and 33.42% in summer camps (RR 0.64 [95% CI 0.58–0.70]) and 52.63% of outbreaks occurred in cold months and 47.37% in warm months. The mean delay in reporting was 5.61 days (SD 5.58 days) and the mean duration was 6.11 days (SD 6.08 days), with a Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.84 (P < 0.001) between these variables. In outbreaks with person-to-person transmission, the aOR was higher the longer the delay in reporting: 3.07 (95% CI 1.21–7.81) when the delay was 5–8 days and 3.81 when it was >9 days (95% CI 1.42–10.23). The cold months posed a higher risk than the warm months. In common source outbreaks the risk was higher in children in secondary-higher education and in summer camps.

IMPORTANCE Norovirus is the main cause of viral acute gastroenteritis outbreaks worldwide. The low infectious dose and the lack of long-term immunity in infected persons means that norovirus often causes outbreaks in institutions and closed and semiclosed centers. Norovirus gastroenteritis are usually mild, with no complications, but occasionally can result in hospital admission. Understanding the risk factors involved in a norovirus outbreak can reduce the spread, severity, and duration of the outbreak and, when a vaccine becomes available, this understanding would help us identify the population groups need to get vaccinated. Here, we show the outbreaks due to norovirus in schools and summer camps, the correlation between the delay in reporting and duration of outbreaks and the relationship of the attack rate and the size of the groups.