Analysis on epidemiologic characteristics of viral diarrhea among infants in Taiyuan, Shanxi province, 2007-2008 / 中华实验和临床病毒学杂志

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the epidemiologic characteristics of virus-induced acute diarrhea in children under 5 years old in Taiyuan, Shanxi province.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Stool specimens and clinical data were collected from 346 inpatients with acute diarrhea from children less than 5 years old. Rotavirus-positive specimens were identified by ELASA kit. Calicivirus and astrovirus were detected by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Adenovirus was done by polymerase chain reaction (PCR).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Of the 346 specimens, the percentage of samples with Rotavirus, Calicivirus, Astrovirus, and Adenovirus was 40.8%, 7.5%, 6.4% and 3.2%. Among 141 rotavirus positive samples, serotype G1 (42.6%) was the predominant strain. More than 95% of viral diarrhea patients under hospitalization occurred among children younger than 2 years.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Rotavirus is the major pathogen contributing to the acute diarrhea. The disease generally peaks at autumn/winter. The predominant rotavirus strain circulated was G1P[8].</p>