ABSTRACT
Rotaviruses are one of the most important causes of acute gastroenteritis and death in children worldwide. WHO suggested hospital based surveillance all over the world in order to evaluate the prevalence of rotavirus diarrhea. This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of rotavirus gastroenteritis in hospitalized children in Shiraz. In this study 138 stool samples from children aged <5 years old with severe diarrhea [>/= 3 loose watery stools per 24 hours], hospitalized at Shaheed Dastgheib and Nemazee hospitals in Shiraz, were collected during 2006-2007. All the stool specimens were evaluated for Group A of rotaviruses with enzyme immunoassays [EIA]. Then demographic and clinical data were analyzed by SPSS software. Out of total collected samples rotavirus infection was detected in 48[34.78%]. The highest infection rate was among children less than two years old [70.83%]. Diarrhea [97.92%], vomiting [77.08%] and fever [52.08%] were the most frequent reported clinical symptoms in children with rotavirus infection. The highest of isolation of virus was observed in autumn [45.83%] and the lowest in spring [8.33%] [p=0.012]. Also, there was no significant difference between the frequency of the rotavirus diarrhea and the pattern of nutrition [p= 0.236]. Regarding to high frequency of rotavirus infection, concurrently surveillance of rotavirus gastroenteritis in other hospitals of Iran is recommended.
ABSTRACT
This study was conducted to evaluate the prevalence of rotavirus disease and to investigate the genotypes of rotavirus strains causing acute gastroenteritis among children aged <5 years old in Marvdasht, Iran. One hundred and forty-one children, aged 1 month to 5 years, afflicted with severe diarrhea were enrolled during January 2007 to December 2008. Their stool samples were studied with enzyme immunoassays [EIA] for group A rotaviruses. Rotavirus-positive specimens were genotyped by the Nested RT-PCR using different types of specific primers. Out of total collected samples rotavirus infection was detected in 40 [28.37%]. Of the rotavirus episodes, 72.91% occurred during the first 2 years of life [P=0.038]. The highest prevalence of infection was identified in summer [52.50%] and the lowest in winter [7.50%]. The most common clinical features included diarrhea [96.25%], vomiting [82.50%] and fever [45.0%]. Mixed genotypes were the predominant G type [60.0%], followed by non-typeable [12.50%], G2 [12.50%], G4 [10.0%] and G1 [5.0%] genotypes. G3/G8 mixed infection is the first of these rotavirus genotypes to be reported in Iran. Regarding high frequency of rotavirus infection, continuous surveillance is needed to inform diarrhea prevention programs as well as to provide information about the occurrence of new rotavirus strains. This will assist policy makers in decision making on rotavirus vaccine introduction