Epidemic outbreak of acute gastroenteritis due to norovirus with possible hydric origin

INTRODUCTION. To describe the clinical, microbiological and epidemiological investigations performed after an outbreak of acute gastroenteritis in a wedding. METHOD. A descriptive, case-control study was performed. An epidemiological survey (45 cases-28 controls) and inspection were carried out. RESULTS. Affected individuals had diarrhea and vomiting. Water and ice were contaminated. Norovirus was isolated in only one stool sample. Statistically significant differences in water consumption were found in bivariate analysis (p = 0.02; ORc = 10.6; 95% CI: 1.20-220.05) and multivariate analysis (p = 0.04; ORa = 8.93; 95% CI: 1.03-77.41). CONCLUSIONS. The clinical and epidemiological characteristics and laboratory results indicate that the most probable cause of the outbreak was norovirus.