Detection and Typing of Norovirus from Frozen Strawberries Involved in a Large-Scale Gastroenteritis Outbreak in Germany.

ABSTRACT: During September/October 2012, a norovirus gastroenteritis outbreak affecting about 11,000 people occurred in Germany. Epidemiological studies suggested that frozen strawberries represented the vehicle of infection. We describe here the analysis of frozen strawberries for the presence of norovirus. Samples were taken by applying a stratified subsampling scheme. Two different methods for virus extraction from strawberries were compared. First, viruses were eluted from strawberries under alkaline conditions and concentrated using a polyethylene glycol precipitation. Second, ultrafiltration was applied for concentration of viruses rinsed off of the berries. In both cases, RNA was extracted and analyzed by real-time RT-PCR. Application of the ultrafiltration method generally resulted in a lowe

SUBMITTER: Made D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3753465 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature