ABSTRACT
Rotavirus is a major cause of acute diarrhea in children worldwide. It is an important cause of death among young children in developing countries. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of rotavirus infection in children less than five years old hospitalized for gastroenteritis in Jahrom. One hundred and two stool samples were collected from children less than 5 years old hospitalized for acute diarrhea during October 2006-February 2007 in Motahary hospital, Jahrom, south of Iran. All samples were tested for rotavirus antigen by commercial enzyme linked immunoassays [ELISA] and latex agglutination test. Sixty nine stool samples [67.6%] were positive for both ELISA and latex agglutination. The mean age of the patients was 14.38 months [range 2-60 months]. There was no significant difference between the patients with positive and those with negative tests for rotavirus in duration of admission, fever, vomiting, gender, and stool examination. Thirty-three percent of the patients had abnormal increased blood urea nitrogen that was normalized after hydration. Rotavirus was an important cause of acute gastroenteritis in young children less than 5 years old in our hospital. Dehydration, azotemia, and electrolyte disturbances were the major problems in those patients