An outbreak of viral gastroenteritis following environmental contamination at a concert hall
Epidemiology and Infection·
- DOI
- 10.1017/s0950268802007446
- PMID
- —
- PMCID
- —
- OpenAlex
- W2167285231
- Study type
- Journal article
- Publisher
- Cambridge University Press (CUP)
- Article type
- journal-article
- Integrity
- current
Why this research matters now
The outbreak demonstrates how a single vomiting incident in a public venue can seed prolonged transmission when disinfection procedures are insufficient. Transmission likely occurred through contact with contaminated surfaces, highlighting the need for appropriate disinfection protocols at public facilities following gastrointestinal illness events.
Structured evidence summary
Research question
The investigation examined the source and transmission pathway of a viral gastroenteritis outbreak affecting over 300 individuals at a concert hall during a five-day period in January 1999.
Study design
This was an outbreak investigation that included epidemiological analysis of illness patterns among concert attendees and laboratory confirmation via reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Attack rates were compared by seating location relative to an index case who vomited in the venue.
Population and setting
The outbreak affected concert hall attendees over five consecutive days, including members of 15 school parties who attended the day following the index case exposure. The setting was a metropolitan concert hall with an auditorium and adjacent facilities.
Main findings
Norwalk-like virus was confirmed in fecal specimens. Children seated on the same auditorium level as the index case had a substantially elevated risk of illness compared to those seated elsewhere (relative risk 7.1, 95% CI 5.4–9.2, P <0.001). Most reported cases had not attended on the evening of the vomiting incident, suggesting ongoing environmental contamination. The venue's disinfection was inadequate and the disinfectant lacked sodium hypochlorite.
Public-health relevance
The outbreak demonstrates how a single vomiting incident in a public venue can seed prolonged transmission when disinfection procedures are insufficient. Transmission likely occurred through contact with contaminated surfaces, highlighting the need for appropriate disinfection protocols at public facilities following gastrointestinal illness events.
Important limitations
This summary relies on the supplied single-article abstract and metadata. The full paper would be required to evaluate case definitions, laboratory methods, completeness of follow-up, statistical adjustments, and alternative transmission hypotheses.
GIDS interpretation
The article was machine-classified under Gastroenteritis, Climate and environment, Outbreak investigation, and Transmission dynamics. These links indicate the paper may be retrieved when searching for historical outbreak investigations involving environmental contamination and fomite transmission, particularly in shared public settings.
Related GIDS surveillance
Literature context does not validate, explain, or change a surveillance signal. Exact and contextual relationships are shown separately.
Evidence relationships
This article has 7 auditable classifier relationships to diseases, places, topics, and study design.