Role of rotaviruses in children with acute diarrhea in Tehran, Iran.

BACKGROUND: Rotavirus illness is associated with significant cause of morbidity and is a common cause of hospitalization worldwide. OBJECTIVE: This study was performed to assess the role of rotaviruses in children presenting with acute diarrhea in two main Children's Medical Centers and one general hospital in Tehran. STUDY DESIGN: Stool specimens from 704 children less than 5 years of age suffering from diarrhea were tested for the presence of rotaviruses by a monoclonal antibody-based enzyme immunoassay. A total of 176 fecal specimens collected from healthy children in similar age group were studied as controls. RESULTS: Rotavirus antigen was detected in 15.3% of patients. Infants between 6 and 12 months of age were most frequently affected. Rotavirus infection was significantly less frequent in breast-fed than among bottle-fed babies. Watery diarrhea was present in 68.5% of children. Detection rate was highest in the spring and lowest in summer. Rotavirus can be regarded as a major etiologic agent of acute diarrhea in infants and children up to 5-years-old in Iran, immunization at birth may protect the children before their first symptomatic infection.

Bacterial etiologic agents of ocular infection in children in the Islmic Republic of Iran

Bacterial agents of ocular infection were studied in 485 children under 14 years of age from October 1993 to February 1995. Aerobic and anaerobic bacteriological methods and antimicrobial susceptibility testing were used. Conjunctivitis was the most common clinical feature [77.9%]. Bacterial agents were detected in the ocular samples of 66.8% of children and Staphylococcus aureus was the most common causative agent, being responsible for 28% of all cases. The frequency of ocular infection in patients aged 0-2 years was significantly higher than other age groups [P = 0.04]. Approximately 84% of all bacteria were sensitive to chloramphenicol