Outbreak of Rotavirus Diarrheal Infection Among Adults in King County, Washington, January-June 2023.

Ma, Jimmy; Kumbhakar, Raaka G; Casto, Amanda; Chow, Eric J; Englund, Janet A; Gautam, Rashi; Jaimes, Jose; Tate, Jacqueline E et al. · J Infect Dis · 2025

case_series · Level IV

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Abstract

Rotavirus is a leading cause of diarrhea among children but less known as a cause among adults. We describe clinical, epidemiologic, and genotypic characteristics of a rotavirus outbreak among adults in King County, Washington, occurring during January-June 2023. Adult rotavirus incidence in 2023 was 10 times higher than the same period in 2022 (5% vs 0.5% of samples). Disease severity was mild. G9P[4], an uncommon, nonvaccine strain in the United States, was the predominant genotype. Genotyping suggested spillover from children with subsequent spread among adults. Our study highlights benefits of routine testing and genotyping during outbreaks for surveillance, tracking, and understanding implications on vaccination.

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