ABSTRACT
The relative importance of rotaviral diarrhoea was assessed by etiological evaluation of 264 patients suffering from acute diarrhoea admitted in Diarrhoeal Diseases Control Centre, Nishtar Hospital, Multan. Rotavirus was found to be the second most common enteropathogen [28.4%], the first most common being E. coli, although neonates and older children were found to be affected less frequently [12%]. Mixed rotaviral and bacterial infection was found in 6.4% of patients. Collectively rotavirus was isolated from 34.8% of patients. There was no change in the relative frequency of rotaviral diarrhoea with the change of season. Breast fed babies had a slightly lower incidence of rotaviral diarrhoea. Roughly 75% of patients had isonatremic dehydration, but the incidence of hyponatremia was more [16.8%] in rotaviral group while hypernatremic dehydration was more frequently seen [15.8%] in non-viral group. Episodes of rotaviral diarrhoea more often resulted in severe symptoms and slightly higher mortality