

@article {235,
	title = {Outbreaks of acute gastroenteritis transmitted by person-to-person contact{\textendash}United States, 2009-2010},
	journal = {MMWR Surveill Summ},
	volume = {61},
	number = {9},
	year = {2012},
	note = {1545-8636 Wikswo, Mary E Hall, Aron J Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Journal Article United States MMWR Surveill Summ. 2012 Dec 14;61(9):1-12.},
	pages = {1-12},
	type = {Journal Article},
	abstract = {{PROBLEM/CONDITION: Approximately 179 million cases of acute gastroenteritis (AGE) occur in the United States each year, and outbreaks of AGE are a substantial public health problem. Although CDC has conducted national surveillance for waterborne and foodborne AGE outbreaks since 1971 and 1973, respectively, no national surveillance existed for AGE outbreaks resulting primarily from person-to-person transmission before implementation of the National Outbreak Reporting System (NORS) in 2009. REPORTING PERIOD: 2009-2010. DESCRIPTION OF SYSTEM: NORS is a national surveillance system launched in 2009 to support the reporting of all waterborne outbreaks and enteric disease outbreaks from foodborne, person-to-person, animal contact, environmental, and unknown modes of transmission. State and local public health agencies in the 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, five U.S. territories, and three Freely Associated States report these outbreaks to CDC via NORS using a standardized online data entry system. Data are collected on general outbreak characteristics (e.g., dates, number of illnesses, and locations), demographic characteristics of cases (e.g., age and sex), symptoms, case outcomes, and laboratory testing information and results. Only outbreaks reported in NORS with a primary mode of transmission of person-to-person contact are included in this report. RESULTS: During 2009-2010, a total of 2,259 person-to-person AGE outbreaks were reported in NORS from 42 states and the District of Columbia. These outbreaks resulted in 81,491 reported illnesses, 1,339 hospitalizations, and 136 deaths. No etiology was reported in approximately 40\% (n = 840) of outbreaks. Of the remaining 1,419 outbreaks with a reported etiology, 1,270 (89\%) were either suspected or confirmed to be caused solely by norovirus. Other reported etiologies included Shigella (n = 86), Salmonella (n = 16), Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) (n = 11), and rotavirus (n = 10). Most (82\%) of the 1,723 outbreaks caused by norovirus or an unknown etiology occurred during the winter months, and outbreaks caused by Shigella or another suspected or confirmed etiology most often occurred during the spring or summer months (62\%},
	keywords = {Acute Disease Adolescent Adult Aged Bacterial Infections/epidemiology/*transmission Caliciviridae Infections/epidemiology/*transmission Child Data Collection *Disease Outbreaks Female Gastroenteritis/*epidemiology/etiology Giardia lamblia/isolation \&amp, purification *Population Surveillance Seasons United States/epidemiology, purification Giardiasis/epidemiology Humans Male Middle Aged Norovirus/isolation \&amp},
	issn = {0892-3787},
	author = {Wikswo, M. E. and Hall, A. J.}
}
