Santosham M, Yolken R H, Wyatt R G, Bertrando R, Black R E, Spira W M, Sack R B
J Infect Dis. 1985 Oct;152(4):778-83. doi: 10.1093/infdis/152.4.778.
Rotaviral diarrhea is endemic in most areas of the world, yet community-wide epidemics have not been reported in prospectively monitored populations. This prospective study of the etiology of diarrhea included biweekly visits to the homes of 10% of the population of the White Mountain Apache Indians and began in April 1981. During a three-week period beginning 21 October, 1981, 342 new cases of diarrhea were identified on different parts of the reservation. Rotaviral antigen, detected by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, was identified in 169 (73%) of the 233 stool samples that were tested. Rotavirus was not detected in any of the stool samples taken six months before or after the epidemic. During the epidemic, respiratory symptoms were present in 44 (33%) of 135 rotavirus-positive patients compared with 17 (17%) of 98 rotavirus-negative patients (P less than .05). This rapidly spreading epidemic involving all areas of the reservation, in the absence of a common source of exposure of ill persons, suggests the possibility of respiratory transmission.
轮状病毒性腹泻在世界大部分地区呈地方性流行，但在前瞻性监测人群中尚未报告过全社区范围的流行情况。这项关于腹泻病因的前瞻性研究于1981年4月开始，每两周对白山阿帕契印第安人10%的人口家庭进行一次走访。在1981年10月21日开始的为期三周的时间里，在该保留地不同区域共发现了342例新的腹泻病例。通过酶联免疫吸附测定法检测到，在233份检测的粪便样本中有169份（73%）检测出轮状病毒抗原。在疫情之前或之后六个月采集的任何粪便样本中均未检测到轮状病毒。在疫情期间，135例轮状病毒阳性患者中有44例（33%）出现呼吸道症状，而98例轮状病毒阴性患者中有17例（17%）出现呼吸道症状（P<0.05）。这次迅速蔓延至保留地所有区域的疫情，在没有患病者共同暴露源的情况下，提示了呼吸道传播的可能性。
