Frequency of Rotavirus in Children under Three Years of Age with Gastroenteritis in Alzahra Hospital

Abstract

Background: Gastroenteritis is one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality in infants and children worldwide. In this age group, rotavirus is the most common cause of viral gastroenteritis, which in turn is the most prevalent form of gastroenteritis. Rotavirus accounts for an estimated up to 125 million gastroenteritis episode in children less than 5 years old and causes up to 600000 deaths a year throughout the world. Rotavirus gastroenteritis causes more dehydration, severer illness, and longer hospitalization. Therefore, investigation of the epidemiology of rotavirus infections is of a great importance in most countries. Considering the high burden of the disease, we decided to determine the frequency of this disease in children less than 3 years old in Isfahan. Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out on 150 stool specimens of children under 3 years old with gastroenteritis during spring and summer of 2012 in Alzahra hospital, Isfahan, Iran. Stool specimens were examined by gel electrophoresis for the presence of rotavirus genome. The acquired information was registered in data collection forms. Findings: From 150 stool specimens, 12.66% (n = 19) were positive for Rotavirus. The mean age of children with Rotavirus gastroenteritis was 6 to 12 months. 13.7% of Rotavirus infected children were male and 11.7% were female. Conclusion: Rotavirus was the cause of 12.66% of gastroenteritis in children under 3 years old in spring and summer in Isfahan. Children who are kept in nursery, formula fed babies, and children 6 to 12 months of age are more prone to this infection. It seems that more studies are necessary to determine the frequency of rotavirus infection in autumn and winter to be compared with our findings Keywords: Rotavirus infections, Gastroenteritis, Infant, Preschool child, Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis