RESUMO
A latex agglutination test was used to determine the incidence of Rotavirus infection in 230 infants and children with a diagnosis of acute gastroenteritis admitted to the pediatrics ward at AI Mana General Hospital, Dammam, Eastern province, Saudi Arabia. Rotavirus was detected in 98 cases [42.6]. The highest incidence occurred in the 7 - 12 month age group. There was no significant sex difference. Rotavirus was detected over the whole period of the study, with a peak incidence from September through November, and a slighty lesser peak in February, A bacterial etiology was found in 38% of the cases. There was an overall success rate of about 82% in detecting an etiology for the gastroenteritis. Rotavirus was clearly the most common single agent responsible for acute gastroenteritis especially in the younger age groups