An outbreak of viral gastroenteritis linked to municipal water supply, Lombardy, Italy, June 2009

C Scarcella; S Carasi; F Cadoria; L Macchi; A Pavan; M Salamana; G L Alborali; M N Losio; P Boni; A Lavazza; T Seyler

doi:10.2807/ese.14.29.19274-en

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An outbreak of viral gastroenteritis linked to municipal water supply, Lombardy, Italy, June 2009
C Scarcella¹ , S Carasi¹ , F Cadoria¹ , L Macchi² , A Pavan² , M Salamana² , G L Alborali³ , M N Losio³ , P Boni³ , A Lavazza³ , T Seyler⁴
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Affiliations: ¹ Azienda Sanitaria Locale della Provincia di Brescia (Local Health Authority of Brescia), Brescia, Italy ² Direzione Generale Sanità Lombardia (Regional Health Authority of Lombardy), Milan, Italy ³ Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale Lombardia ed Emilia-Romagna (IZSLER, Lombardy and Emilia Romagna Experimental Zooprophylactic Institute), Brescia, Italy ⁴ Centro nazionale di epidemiologia, sorveglianza e promozione della salute (National Centre for Epidemiology, Surveillance and Health Promotion), Istituto Superiore di Sanità (ISS, National Institute of Health), Rome, Italy

Correspondence:
T Seyler
thomas.seyler gmail.com
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Citation style for this article: Scarcella C, Carasi S, Cadoria F, Macchi L, Pavan A, Salamana M, Alborali G L, Losio M N, Boni P, Lavazza A, Seyler T. An outbreak of viral gastroenteritis linked to municipal water supply, Lombardy, Italy, June 2009. Euro Surveill. 2009;14(29):pii=19274. https://doi.org/10.2807/ese.14.29.19274-en Received: 14 Jul 2009

Abstract

We report an outbreak of viral gastroenteritis linked to municipal drinking water in a town in northern Italy in June 2009. Over one month we identified 299 probable cases of whom 30 were confirmed for at least one of the following viruses: norovirus, rotavirus, enterovirus or astrovirus. Water samples and filters from the water system also tested positive for norovirus and enterovirus. Control measures included treating the water system with chlorine dioxide and filters with peracetic acid, while providing temporary alternative sources of drinking water to the population.