Rotavirus infections among hospitalized children under 5 years old with diarrhea in Urumqi, 2008-2016

Abstract

Objective To analyze the epidemic and etiological features of rotavirus (RV) in children under 5 years old in a children's hospital of Urumqi, from 2008 to 2016. Methods Fecal samples and epidemiological data were collected from the infants with diarrhea during January 1, 2008 to December 31, 2016. The samples were analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for RV and RT-PCR for genotyping of positive samples. Results Out of the 2 461 samples collected, the positive rate of RV was 45.1% (1 110/2 461). The positive samples were genotyped, including G1, G2, G3, G4, G8 and G9 types in G typing, and P[4], P[6], P[8], and P[4] in P typing. The commonly detected GP genotyping combinations were G9P [8], G3P [8], G2P [4] and G1P [8] accounting for 40.3% (188/447), 26.4% (118/447), 13.6% (61/447) and 10.3% (46/447), respectively. The time distribution showed that the positive rate of RV was the highest in October (65.0%, 134/206) and the lowest in July (37.9%, 110/290). The difference in RV infection rates of urban area (46.3%, 920/1 988), rural areas (37.8%, 131/347) and urban-rural integration (46.8%, 59/126) was statistically significant (x2=8.83, P=0.012). Conclusions The positive rate of RV in Urumqi was at a high level, and the genotypes were diverse with G9P[8] as the dominant strain, from 2008 to 2016. Winter and spring, small-month-old group, children living in urban or urban-rural areas were the focus points of prevention and control of RV infection in children under 5 years old with diarrhea in Urumqi. Key words: Rotavirus infections; Diarrhea; Children; Genotype