Data from the national surveillance scheme for general outbreaks
of intestinal disease, and the
national laboratory reporting scheme were used to describe the epidemiology
of small round
structured virus (SRSV) infections in England and Wales. Between 1990 and
1995, there were
7492 laboratory reports of SRSV. Rates of reported illness were highest
among infants, young
children and the elderly. During 1992–5, some 707 SRSV outbreaks
were reported. Outbreaks
in hospital wards and residential facilities for the elderly accounted
for 76% of the total, and
annual numbers increased more than sixfold over the study period. There
were wide regional
variations in the numbers of SRSV outbreaks and laboratory reports. Both
sporadic cases and
outbreaks in the community are likely to be underestimated, but these passive
surveillance
systems provide an insight into the burden of SRSV infection among the
institutionalized
elderly.