Abstract

The study evaluated the incidence of norovirus associated gastroenteritis in India. During the year 2005 to 2006, stool samples from communicable disease hospital were collected from subjects suspected for non – bacterial gastroenteritis and were examined for norovirus. Samples were analyzed by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction and further confirmed by hybridisation and sequencing. In addition the epidemiology of norovirus was studied by statistical analysis. 44.4% of the samples were positive for norovirus, the isolated strain represented the Genogroup I of norovirus. The study observed that norovirus infection is not only a winter vomiting disease it can also occur in the summer.

Key words: Gastroenteritis, norovirus, reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction, stool