Epidemiological evaluation of sporadic cases of Norovirus infection in comunitary and hospitalized patients [Epidemiologia di casi sporadici di gastroenteriti sostenute da Norovirus in pazienti comunitari e nosocomiali affetti da gastroenterite]

Surveillace of viral gastoenteritis infections is very poor in Italy, even if starting from 2004 Norovirus became one of the most causative agent of infections in all the seasons. The aim of our study was to evaluate the isolation of Norovirus both in hospitalizes patients and communitary patients. From October 2006 to March 2008 we examined 400 samples. Our results showed only 15 sporadic cases in pediatric, HIV comunitary patients. These cases were analyzed by using an ELISA screening (Biopharm) and the results were confirmed with real time PCT (Argene).