Features of Noro- and Adenovirus Intestinal Infections in Children

Abstract

The clinical and laboratory features of viral intestinal infections caused by norovirus (11), adenovirus (9) and noro-adenovirus (4) in 24 hospitalized children were investigated in non-epidemic period for these infections (April-November 2014). Etiological diagnosis was performed when studying faeces by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The study found that these infections occurred mostly in late summer and in autumn as gastroenteritis of moderate severity, manifested mainly in children under 3 years old. Norovirus infection was more severe than adenovirus one due to the presence of hyperthermic syndrome, frequent intensive vomiting at the onset of the disease, which justify the rapid admission of patients to inpatient department (in the first 6–12 hours of disease). In most children we have detected exsiccosis of I–II degree. Almost half of the children revealed severe ketonuria, leukocytosis and/or leukocyte formula shift to the left with the normalization of blood formula during the first day of treatment. This necessitates the etiological diagnosis of gastroenteritis in children involving PCR without a break for the summer and autumn to avoid unjustified antibiotic therapy.

Keywords

• norovirus
• adenovirus
• viral gastroenteritis
• acute intestinal infection