Some of the clinico-epidemiological features of human rotavirus in children with gastroenteritis below five years of age, A hospitalbased study

Abstract

Background: A prospective study done for 7 months in the period between the 1st of January 2009 to the 1st of August 2009 on 200 patients with gastroenteritis attending Child’ Central Teaching Hospital in Baghdad, Iraq. The aim of the study: to determine the frequency of rotavirus infection among children with gastroenteritis and to identify the important clinical features of the illness. Patients and method: A sample of 200 children below 5 years of age with gastroenteritis were tested for the presence of human rotavirus using latex agglutination test to examine the stool sample in addition to general stool examination, stool PH, PCV ,WBC count, blood urea and serum electrolytes. Results: The results reveal that the frequency of rotavirus infection among children less than five years of age with gastroenteritis was 28% and that most infected children were below 2 years of age , and have watery diarrhea and the infection is significantly increasing during winter time and more common among artificially fed infants. Conclusion: Rotavirus is an important cause of morbidity among young children with gastroenteritis and breast feeding is an important protective factor.