A recent episode in Brescia is the latest of several outbreaks of viral gastroenteritis in Italy. The following background information is abstracted from GIDEON:

Primary references are available on request.

Prevalence surveys:
Adenoviruses account for 7% of pediatric hospitalizations in Rome for diarrhea, Rotavirus 18.2%, Astrovirus 1% (1987 to 1989)
Adenoviruses account for 17.6% of pediatric hospitalizations in Rome for diarrhea, Rotavirus 26.7%, non-polio Enteroviruses 8.5%, Coronaviruses 1.8%, Parvoviruses 0.9% (1985 publication)
Adenoviruses account for 6% of pediatric hospitalizations in Sicily for diarrhea, Rotavirus 25.1%, Astrovirus 7%, Norovirus 18.6% (2003)
Adenoviruses are found in 6.2% of pediatric patients with acute diarrhea (2005)
Noroviruses account for 10.4% of hospitalized pediatric gastroenteritis cases in northern Italy (2002)
Noroviruses were the most frequently involved viruses (23.7%) in sporadic acute diarrhea among hospitalized children and were more common in children >5 years (37%) than in children <5 years (10%). The frequency of Rotavirus, enteric Adenovirus and Astrovirus was 12.2%, 1.6% and 2.4%, respectively. (Brescia, 2007 publication)
Noroviruses account for 48.4% of pediatric (below age 3) hospitalizations for diarrhea in Palermo (2004)
18.2% of retail bivalve mollusks in Rome are contaminated with Astrovirus, and 2.1% with Norovirus (2007 publication)

Norovirus infection was confirmed in a captive lion cub (Panthera leo) in Pistoia in 2004.

Notable outbreaks:
2000 – An outbreak (344 cases) of Norovirus gastroenteritis occurred at a tourist resort in the Gulf of Taranto. The presumed source of illness was drinking water. This was the first confirmed outbreak of NLV infection in Italy.
2002 – An outbreak (200 cases or more) of Norovirus gastroenteritis in southern Italy was caused by contaminated shellfish.
2003 – An outbreak (169 cases) of presumed Norovirus gastroenteritis was reported at a resort in central Italy.
2005 – An outbreak of Norovirus infection at a resuor in Puglia was ascribed to contamination of raw mussels and ice by tap water.
2006 – An outbreak (35 cases) of Norovirus infection was reported in a residential-care facility for the elderly in northern Italy.
2006 – An outbreak (700 cases or more) of Norovirus gastroenteritis was reported among passengers on a cruise ship from Rome to the United States.
2007 – An outbreak (2,860 cases) of gastroenteritis in Apulia due to Norovirus and Rotavirus was caused by contaminated water.
2008 – An outbreak (190 cases) of Norovirus infections was reported among French, Irish, Italian and Dutch immigrants to Lourdes.

Update: Quoted in ProMED

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