Rotavirus infection among hospitalized children with acute watery diarrhea in Basrah - Iraq

ABSTRACT

To estimate the frequency and describe the clinical profile of rotavirus infection in children under five years admitted with acute watery diarrhea. A prospective study done on 268 patients. All were investigated for the detection of rotavirus antigen in their stool by ELISA test. The report focuses on 116 [43.3%] patients in whom rotavirus was detected. The percentage of rotavirus infection among children with acute watery diarrhea was 43.3%. The percentage was higher in the first year of life and males were more affected than females. Malnourished children were at higher risk of having prolonged diarrhea and prolonged shedding of the virus from the intestine. Rotavirus infection should be suspected in any patient with acute watery diarrhea, as there is no specific clinical pattern. Malnourished children are at a higher risk of developing prolonged diarrhea after rotavirus infection that may aggravate their nutritional status