ABSTRACT
Objective@#To investigate the epidemiological and etiological characteristics of viral diarrhea among children under 5 years of age in Shaoxing City, Zhejiang Province, so as to provide insights into management of viral diarrhea.@*Methods@#The surveillance data on viral diarrhea among children under 5 years of age in Shaoxing City from 2019 to 2022 were collected, including demographics and stool testing results. The epidemiological and etiological characteristics of viral diarrhea were analyzed using a descriptive epidemiological method. @*Results@#A total of 763 diarrheal children under 5 years of age were reported in Shaoxing City from 2019 to 2022, and 236 children were tested positive for virus (30.93%). The detection of virus was 49.01%, 31.61%, 20.43% and 21.89% from 2019 to 2022, which appeared an overall tendency towards a decline (P<0.05). The incidence of viral diarrhea peaked from November to March of the next year and from May to July, and the detection of virus was lower among children with diarrhea living in urban areas (Yuecheng District, Keqiao District and Shangyu District) than among those in suburb areas (Zhuji City, Shengzhou City and Xinchang County) (30.22% vs. 52.00%, P<0.05). There were 206 children tested positive for a single virus, and the detection rates of rotavirus (RV), enteric adenovirus (EAdV), norovirus (NoV), and sapovirus (SaV) were 9.57%, 8.91%, 8.39%, and 0.13%, respectively. There were 25 children with virus co-infections, and the positive rates of EAdV and NoV, RV and EAdV and RV and NoV co-infections were 1.31%, 1.18% and 0.79%, respectively. There were 5 children with triple infections of RV, EAdV and NoV (0.66%). The highest detection of EAdV was seen in April, the highest detection of RV and NoV was seen in January, while SaV was only detected in April. @*Conclusion@#The incidence of viral diarrhea among children under 5 years of age peaked in winter and spring in Shaoxing City from 2019 to 2022, and the cases predominantly occurred in urban areas. The detection of virus appeared an overall tendency towards a decline, with high detection of RV, EAdV and NoV.