Human rotavirus genotypes detection among hospitalized children, a study in Tehran, Iran

Background: human rotavirus genotypes G1-G4, G9, P [4] and P [8] are major worldwide causes of acute gastroenteritis in children. Rotavirus genotype G1P [8] is predominant in many countries. In this study, the genotypic diversity of group A rotaviruses were detected in children <5 years of age who were treated for dehydration and diarrhea in Tehran, Iran from October 2004 to September 2008

Methods: a total of 700 stool specimens were collected from children and assessed for the presence of rotaviruses by the dsRNA-PAGE technique. G and P typing of the positive samples were performed by semi-nested multiplex RT-PCR

Results: rotaviruses were isolated in 19% of samples. A total of 14 rotavirus dsRNA different electrophoretypes were detected. The predominant genotype was G1 [76.3%], followed by G4 [11.5%], G8 [0.8%], P [4] [9.2%] and P [8] [66.4%], respectively. In mixed type samples, the majority were of genotype G1P [8] [53.4%], followed by G1P [4] [9.2%] and G4P [8] [4.6%]. Mixed types consisted of 3.1% of the total sample followed by G1G2/-P [1.5%], G1G4P [4] [0.8%] and G1G4P [8] [0.8%]

Conclusion: in this study, a high prevalence of the G1P [8] genotype was determined to be the cause of childhood gastroenteritis in Tehran, Iran. The sequence of G and P genotypes showed high levels of similarity to strains from other Asian countries. Our data will be useful for future vaccine formulation in Iran

Comparison of enzyme immunoassay, immunochromatography, and RNA-polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis for diagnosis of rotavirus infection in children with acute gastroenteritis

Human rotavirus is a major etiologic agent for infantile diarrhea worldwide. It is responsible for up to 3.3 million deaths per year in children in developing countries. Various rapid and sensitive techniques have been developed to readily diagnose rotavirus gastroenteritis. In the present study, we compared the sensitivity and specificity of immunochromatography and RNA-polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis [PAGE] methods with enzyme immunoassay [EIA] for diagnosis of group A rotavirus infection in 200 stool samples from children younger than 5 years old with acute gastroenteritis. Rotavirus was detected in 57 [28.5%] samples by EIA, 52 [26%] samples by ICG and 52 [26%] samples by RNA-PAGE. There was no significant difference between the three methods [P=0.8] nor between EIA and ICG [P=0.57] and EIA and RNA-PAGE [P=0.57]. Furthermore, in comparing these methods with age variables, the present study found that the sensitivity and specificity of ICG and RNA-PAGE compared with EIA were 87.7%, 98.6% and 91.2%, and 100%, respectively [P>0.05]. Results of the present study demonstrate that the sensitivity and specificity rates for ICG and RNA-PAGE were as high as EIA. It seems that all the three methods are reliable and suitable for detection of group A rotavirus infection in children affected by enteric diseases

Acute aseptic meningitis and encephalitis with viral etiology in children from Tehran

The incidence of aseptic meningitis and encephalitis in relation to neurotropic viruses was studied in 430 children <14 years of age, from September 1992 to October 1996 in Tehran. Enterovirus was isolated from CSF in 15% of patients with acute aseptic meningitis and all isolates were typed as coxsackievirus types B5 [95%] and B4 [5%]. The highest incidence of enteroviral meningitis [42.5%] was in children under 12 months of age. We found an incidence of meningitis and meningoencephalitis due to mumps-virus [48%] in children under 14 years old. The incidence peak was 5-9 year old in children. The overall rate of infection in boys was three times higher than that in girls. The highest rates of enteroviral meningitis and mumps-virus meningitis and encephalitis were 50% in the summer and 53.5% in the spring [p<0.001], respectively. In this study, Herpes simplex virus type-1, Varicella Zoster virus and measles virus were determined to be the etiologic viral agents of acute encephalitis in 6 children<10 years of age. Our study indicates that mumps virus and enterovirus are important causative agents of aseptic meningitis and meningoencephalitis among children in Tehran

Bacterial etiologic agents of urinary tract infection in children in the Islamic Republic of Iran

The bacterial agents of urinary tract infections were studied in 1650 children under 12 years of age between April 1993 and March 1995. It was found that 25.8% [425/1650] of infants and children showed bacteriuria [>10[5] bacteria per millilitre of urine]. Escherichia coli was responsible for 71.0% of all infections. Infections caused by Proteus spp. were predominantly found in boys. Girls showed a higher prevalence of infection [35.3%] than boys [18.3%], which was statistically highly significant [P < 0.001]. The most commonly isolated bacteria were partially or totally sensitive to the aminoglycosides, chloramphenicol and nalidixic acid

Immunity of children and adult females to rubella virus infection in Tehran

A serological survey was carried out to determine rubella immunity among 272 children and 1375 women in the reproductive age group in Tehran during 1993-95. Using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, based on measurement of anti-rubella virus IgG, we found an immunity of 92.7% in newborns, 57.2% in children and 94.9% in women. There was a significant increase in the prevalence of rubella IgG antibody with age [p<0.001]. No significant sex difference was seen. The socio-economic status of the study population from two maternity clinics in the North [with higher socio-economic status] and South of Tehran was a factor in the distribution of anti-rubella IgG, showing significant difference in immunity [p<0.005]. Since about 95% of the young adult female population were immune to rubella virus infection, it follows that the incidence of congenital rubella syndrome should be low in this city

Rotavirus infection in infants and young children with acute gastroenteritis in the Islamic Republic of Iran

The incidence of rotavirus infection was studied in 704 children less than five years of age who were suffering from acute gastroenteritis, between July 1993 and June 1994 in Teheran. Rotavirus antigen was detected by ELISA in 15.3% of the stool samples examined, as compared to 1.1% in a group of healthy controls. The frequency of rotavirus infection was significantly higher among patients under 24 months of age [19.7%] than among children two years old or more [5.1%]. Breast-feeding had a protective action against rotavirus infection and the peak of incidence was in the spring. This study revealed that rotavirus is an important etiological agent of acute gastroenteritis among children in Teheran