Measuring transfer of human norovirus during sandwich production: Simulating the role of food, food handlers and the environment

Foodborne outbreaks associated with transmission of norovirus are increasingly becoming a public health concern. Foods can be contaminated faecal material at the point production or during food preparation, in both home and commercial premises. Transmission occurs through faecal-oral route, either via person-to-person contact faecal-contamination food, water, environmental surfaces. Understanding role pathways – handlers' hands, foods environment remains key priority to reduce burden norovirus-associated gastroenteritis. However proportion that is typically transferred unknown. this necessary estimate risk infection gastroenteritis caused by norovirus. In paper we present novel method capture, concentration molecular detection from wider range complex matrices than those demonstrated existing published methods. We demonstrate used as tool detect quantify naturally for monitoring transfer between gloved environment. measure effect introducing contamination different process stages, final product, determine whether could cause disease. Between 5.9 6.3 Log10 cDNA copies/μl GII were inoculated onto 1.1–7.4% was recovered all samples tested. When interpreted quantitatively, percentage equates levels predicted sufficient disease consumption demonstrating risk. Overall quantification foods, hands environment, when suspected implicated foodborne transmissions, paramount appropriate outbreak investigation.