Rotavirus In Children Research Articles

Burden of rotavirus and adenovirus gastroenteritis in children and adults hospitalized in two geo-climatically different provinces of Sri Lanka

Burden of rotavirus and adenovirus gastroenteritis in children and adults hospitalized in two geo-climatically different provinces of Sri Lanka

Enteric viruses other than rotavirus and norovirus in children under 5 years of age with gastroenteritis in Argentina, 2010-2021. A descriptive study.

Introduction. Data on the frequency of enteric adenoviruses, sapoviruses, and astroviruses in cases of sporadic acute gastroenteritis in Argentina are scarce. Methods. Descriptive design of a selection of fecal samples of children with diarrhea younger than 5 years referred between 2010 and 2021, with a previous negative result for rotavirus and norovirus. The presence of enteric adenovirus, sapovirus, and astrovirus was tested by molecular methods, with subsequent genotyping of positive samples. Results. At least 1 of the tested viruses was detected in 226 (39.4%) of the 574 selected samples. Specifically, adenovirus, sapovirus, and astrovirus were detected in 30.7%, 5.6%, and 3.1% of the samples, respectively. The most frequent viruses detected were adenovirus 41, sapoviruses GI.1 and GI.2, and astrovirus 1. Non-classic astroviruses were detected in 2 samples. Conclusions. Despite being less frequent, these enteropathogens are responsible for a large number of sporadic diarrhea events. Therefore, their study and surveillance contribute significantly to reduce the gap of undiagnosed cases.

Optimal control of rotavirus infection in breastfed and non-breastfed children

According to the World Health Organization’s guidelines, a two-year mandatory breastfeeding period is strongly recommended, supported by research demonstrating its significant benefits in reducing childhood illnesses and mortality rates. The present study is designed to address this recommendation by focusing on a specific infection, namely rotavirus. Acknowledging this evidence, researchers recognize the need for a deeper understanding of the dynamics of rotavirus disease. In response, our study focuses on constructing and analyzing an SIR epidemic model uniquely designed for transmitting rotavirus in children. The model partitions the children population into three compartments: susceptible, infected, and recovered. To enhance precision, we further categorize susceptible children based on breastfeeding status and infected individuals based on infectious or non-infectious nature. This detailed categorization enables a thorough examination of rotavirus transmission dynamics. The proposed model analyzes two equilibria, disease-free and endemic, revealing local and global stability conditions determined by the basic reproduction number (R0). Our exploration extends to local stability analysis for the endemic equilibrium when R0>1 and global stability assessment using the Lyapunov theory under specific conditions. Subsequently, we employ optimal control theory through Pontryagin’s maximum principle to minimize the cost burden associated with disease control in children. Then, our work provides a sensitivity analysis of different parameters for the basic reproduction number to enhance our understanding of model dynamics. Finally, numerical simulations conducted with MATLAB and Python software validate our analytical findings, offering a comprehensive and practical assessment of the proposed model’s implications for controlling rotavirus transmission in children.

Analysis of the severity of symptoms of acute diarrhoea caused by rotaviruses in children and the level of parental knowledge about the prevention of this condition

Introduction. Gastrointestinal infections in young children in the form of acute diarrhoea of viral aetiology constitute a serious epidemiological and therapeutic problem. Aim. The aim of the study is to determine the severity of symptoms of acute rotavirus diarrhoea in children and to evaluate the level of parental knowledge about the factors predisposing to this condition and the preventive measures. Material and methods. A group of 100 individuals aged 18 to 40, parents of children under the age of 4 who were hospitalised due to acute diarrhoea, was surveyed. The questions concerned determining the severity of symptoms of acute diarrhoea in children of rotavirus aetiology and assess the level of parental knowledge about the factors predisposing to this condition and preventive measures. The study utilised the diagnostic survey method with a self-designed questionnaire, as well as a standardised questionnaire for assessing the child's condition on admission and the CDS scale. Results. The analysis of the results showed that parental knowledge about the course, management, and prevention of infectious diarrhoea in children is low. Parents tend to avoid seeking information from nurses and physicians, instead relying on media and Internet sources, which they consider as credible. The study identified sociodemographic factors that influence parental knowledge. Conclusions. Age, education, and place of residence significantly influence parental knowledge about the course, management, and prevention of infectious diarrhea in children. It was found that the gender of the parents does not have a significant impact on the level of knowledge regarding the disease in question.

Rotavirus and adenovirus in children evaluated for viral gastroenteritis at a single healthcare center in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia: A perspective of two decades.

The aim of this study was to determine the distribution of rotavirus and adenovirus in pediatric patients evaluated for viral gastroenteritis in a hospital in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia for 22 years. This was a retrospective study based in a secondary healthcare center in Saudi Arabia. Laboratory and demographic data were collected from hospital records for all pediatric patients (up to 14 years old) evaluated for viral gastroenteritis by rotavirus/adenovirus antigen detection kit from January 2000 to December 2022. Data were analyzed utilizing SPSS version 28.0. Categorical data were presented as frequency and percentages, whereas mean and standard deviations were computed for continuous variables. Chi-square test and t-test were used to determine statistical significance. The overall yields of antigen detection were 13.6% for rotavirus and 2.6% for adenovirus. Coinfection with both viruses was documented in 0.5% of the study population. Rotavirus was persistently detected in the past two decades with varying frequency, but the detection of adenovirus showed intervals of at least three consecutive years of zero confirmed cases. Before 2013, when the rotavirus vaccine was introduced in Saudi Arabia, rotavirus was much more prevalent than adenovirus (30% compared to 3.8% in 2010), but they became equally prevalent a decade after the introduction of the vaccine. Rotavirus gastroenteritis showed three different peaks in the year, in March, July, and December. Each peak was followed by a gradual decrease in prevalence before the next peak. Adenovirus, in contrast, was detected consistently around the year at rates between 2% and 5%. Rotavirus and adenovirus gastroenteritis have changed in prevalence in the past two decades. We found distinct seasonal patterns associated with rotavirus and adenovirus gastroenteritis. The utilization of virological testing for pediatric gastroenteritis with syndromic testing panels is to be encouraged to improve the knowledge of the true prevalence of enteric viruses.

Socio-Demography, Clinical Features and Risk Factors of Gastroenteritis Caused by Rotavirus in Diarrheic Children Living in Edo State, Nigeria

Rotaviruses are one of the vital causative agents of acute gastroenteritis (AGE) in young children worldwide. This study aimed to present socio-demographic, clinical features and risk factors of gastroenteritis caused by rotavirus in diarrheic children living in Edo State, Nigeria. This study was done using a descriptive cross-sectional survey of AGE in 400 participants (diarrheic children less than 5 years) admitted to four hospitals in Edo State, Nigeria. A structured questionnaire was used to collect socio-demographic and clinical information from study participants. Rotavirus antigen in stool samples collected from the study participants was detected by the immunochromatographic method. Twenty (5.0%) tested positive for rotavirus antigen out of the 400 stool samples examined. A large proportion of the participants were aged one year (24.3%). A large percentage of the participants were exposed to exclusive breastfeeding (94.8%) while 33.5% of this group were exclusively breastfed for a period ranging from 3 to 6 months. Blood and mucous were present in the stool of 66.5% and 74.5% of participants, respectively. Age and exclusive breastfeeding of the participants were the main factors that were associated with the risk of acquiring rotavirus infection. No significant association was observed between the socio-demographic characteristics of the parents/caregivers of the study participants and rotavirus infection. This study shows a significant decline in the incidence of rotavirus infection among children less than 5 years in Edo State, Nigeria; thus, suggesting that the risk of acquiring rotavirus infection might be abating in this age group in Edo State.

Rotavirus and adenovirus infections in children with acute gastroenteritis after introducing the Rotasiil® vaccine in Kisangani, Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Although rotavirus vaccination has reduced the global burden of the virus, morbidity and mortality from rotavirus infection remain high in Sub-Saharan Africa. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of rotavirus and adenovirus infections in children under five years with acute gastroenteritis and to identify factors associated with rotavirus infection after the introduction of the Rotasiil® vaccine in 2019 in Kisangani, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). This study consisted of a cross-sectional hospital-based survey conducted from May 2022 to April 2023 in four health facilities in Kisangani, using a fecal-based test (rapid antigenic immuno-chromatographic diagnostic test, BYOSYNEX adenovirus/rotavirus BSS, Biosynex SA, Illkirch-Graffenstaden, France) of rotavirus and adenovirus infections among children under five years of age with acute gastroenteritis. A total of 320 children under five years of age with acute gastroenteritis were included. The prevalence of rotavirus infection was 34.4%, that of adenovirus was 6.3%, and that of both rotavirus and adenovirus coinfection was 1.3%. The prevalence of rotavirus was significantly higher in unvaccinated children than in vaccinated children (55.4% versus 23.1%; P < 0.001). This difference was observed only in children who received all three vaccine doses. Multivariate logistic regression analysis shows that the rate of rotavirus infection was significantly reduced in vaccinated children (adjusted OR: 0.31 [95% confidence intervals (CI): 0.19-0.56]; P < 0.001) and those whose mothers had an average (adjusted OR: 0.51 [95% CI: 0.25-0.91]; P = 0.018) or high level (adjusted OR: 0.34 [95% CI: 0.20-0.64]; P < 0.001) of knowledge about the rotavirus vaccine. The prevalence of rotavirus infection remains high in Kisangani despite vaccination. However, the prevalence of adenovirus infections was low in our series. Complete vaccination with three doses and mothers' average and high level of knowledge about the rotavirus vaccine significantly reduces the rate of rotavirus infection. It is, therefore, essential to strengthen the mothers' health education, continue with the Rotasiil® vaccine, and ensure epidemiological surveillance of rotavirus infection.

Effect of COVID-19 protective measures on the epidemiology characteristics of rotavirus, adenovirus, and coinfections among pediatric patients with acute gastroenteritis in Hangzhou, China.

Human rotavirus (RV) and adenovirus (AdV) have been recognized as common enteric viruses associated with viral acute gastroenteritis (AGE) in children aged<5 years. However, with the transmission of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been suppressed due to various aggressive and effective anti-epidemic measures, the prevalence of other viruses has also been affected. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the impact of COVID-19 on the epidemiological characterization of RV, AdV, and coinfections among children with AGE in a hospital in Hangzhou from 2019 to 2023. The overall changes, seasonal distribution, and age distribution of enteroviruses were analyzed based on 5 years of records. All data were analyzed using SPSS 27.0. A total of 102,049 samples were analyzed from January 2019 to August 2023, and among them 15,911 (15.59%) were positive specimens, 11,646 (11.41%) were RV-positive, 4,057 (3.98%) were AdV-positive, and 208 (0.20%) were coinfection. The positive rate among males was 15.54%, while among females was 15.66% with a male-to-female ratio of 1.42:1. There was no significant difference in the positive rates of enterovirus infection between males and females. Significant associations were found between the month group and RV/AdV infection, with RV detection peaking in winter (74.18%) and early spring (29.22%), while AdV has a high prevalence in summer (16.03%) and spring (12.71%). The age group was also found to be significantly associated with RV/AdV infection, with RV being most prevalent in the 1-3-year-old age group (16.99%), while AdV was highest in the 3-5-year-old age group (8.10%).IMPORTANCEThis study highlights the epidemiological changes of rotavirus (RV), adenovirus (AdV), and coinfections in children with acute gastroenteritis (AGE) before, during, and after coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) periods. There was a highly statistically significant difference in the positive rates of RV-positive, AdV-positive, and coinfection (P < 0.001), indicating that RV remains the main pathogen causing AGE. It emphasizes the importance of continuous surveillance of RV and AdV at both local and global levels. Regular surveillance of prevalent rotavirus strains will facilitate the development of new inactivated rotavirus vaccines and aid in disease prevention and control.

Epidemiology of group A rotavirus in children under five years of age with gastroenteritis in N'Djamena, Chad.

Group A Rotaviruses (RVA) is one of the most common causes of severe diarrhoea in infants and children under 5 years of age. Unlike many countries in the world where RVA surveillance/control is active, in Chad , there is currently no applied RVA immunization program and surveillance strategy. The present study aims to determine the prevalence and associated risk factors of RVA gastroenteritis among children under five years of age in N'Djamena. This study comprised two parts: (1) A cross-sectional study carried in four hospitals in N'Djamena between August and November 2019, to determine infection risk factors and evidence of RVA infection among children aged five and below, consulted or hospitalized for diarrhea. An ELISA based RVA VP6 protein detection was used to determine RVA infection prevalence. Infection results and sociodemographic data were statistically analysed to determine RVA infection risk factors. (2) A retrospective study that consisted of analysing the records of stool examinations of the period from January 2016 to December 2018, to determine the prevalence of infectious gastroenteritis among the target population. For the cross-sectional study, RVA infection prevalence was 12.76% (18/141) with males (61.11%) being more affected (sex ratio: 1.57). Children below 12 months were the most affected age group (44.44%) and 44.4% were malnourished. The mean Vesikari score shows that 38.8% of children have a high severity level and 41.1% have a moderate level. For the retrospective study, 2,592 cases of gastroenteritis hospitalization were analysed; 980 out of 2,592 cases (37.81%) of hospitalization due to diarrhoea were due to diarrhoeagenic pathogens including Emtamoeba hystolitica, Gardia lamblia, Trichomonas hominis, Hymenolepis nana, Escherichia coli, Shigella spp, Proteus mirabilis, and Klebsiella oxytoca. Cases of diarrhoea with negative pathogen search were 1,612 cases (62.19%). The diarrhoea peak was observed during the dry seasons, and the age group under 11 months was the most affected was (57.3%). This study describes the evidence of RVA infection among diarrhoeic children below five years of age in N'Djamena, thus indicates a serious health burden. Malnourishment younger age was the higher risk factor. Further studies are needed to determine the circulating strains prior to considering introduction of RVA vaccine and setup a routine rotavirus surveillance in Chad.

A Cross-sectional Study on the Role of Rotavirus and Microbial Co-infection in Children with Acute Diarrhea in Vietnam

Background: Rotavirus is the leading cause of acute diarrhea in children. Understanding co-infections with other bacterial or viral microorganisms alongside Rotavirus is crucial. Objectives: This study aimed to determine the frequency distribution of Rotavirus infections and related co-infections in children with acute diarrhea. Additionally, it sought to compare 2 groups: Those with Rotavirus mono-infection and those with microbial co-infections in terms of clinical and laboratory characteristics. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we collected a total of 171 rectal swabs at Can Tho Children′s Hospital, Can Tho City, Vietnam, from November 2022 to April 2023. We used real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to detect infectious agents. Patients underwent examinations and tests to assess clinical features and laboratory data. Results: Rotavirus was the most commonly detected agent (42.7%). The incidence of co-infection with other bacterial or viral microorganisms alongside Rotavirus was 45.2%. Acute diarrhea caused by Rotavirus significantly increased the percentage of children with watery stools (P = 0.004) and vomiting (P &lt; 0.001) and led to a greater number of loose stools per day (P = 0.007) compared to cases without Rotavirus. However, there were no significant differences in clinical features or laboratory data between cases with Rotavirus mono-infection and those with co-infections involving other bacterial or viral microorganisms. Conclusions: This study sheds light on the prevalence of Rotavirus and co-infections in Vietnam. Among these findings, identifying Rotavirus in children with acute diarrhea is more critical than detecting co-infecting agents.

Genetic characterization of group A rotavirus in children with acute gastroenteritis in Kericho County Referral Hospital, Kenya.

approximately over 80% of mortalities due to rotavirus occur in countries that have limited resources, especially in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. The study was intended to determine the genetic characteristics of rotavirus A in children exhibiting gastroenteritis at Kericho County Referral Hospital. the study design was cross-sectional. Consecutive sampling was engaged obtaining a sample size of 200 stool samples. Genetic characterization of group A rotavirus strains was done using Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay. Positive samples underwent Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Afterwards viewing of the RNA double strands of the rotavirus genome in gels was done using Silver Nitrate. The positive samples underwent RT-PCR amplification followed by sequencing on the pieces of the VP7 or VP4 gene obtained. one hundred and six (53%) samples from males and 94 (47%) from females. Twenty-three samples were positive hence a prevalence of 11.5%. The most affected demographics were children of guardians with secondary school education (51%). The most affected social economic status was housewives (46.5%). The most affected age was 21-30 months at 26.5%. Long electropherotypes were in 22 samples (96%). The G3 genotype of rotavirus A was prevalent 16/23 (69.57%). rotavirus prevalence was 11.5%. The G3 genotype was the most prevalent in circulation. The occurrence of non-typable strains indicated that the strains may be diversified emphasizing the need to include emerging strains within the vaccines in use. Hence the need to continuously monitor the effects in older children.

Relating a Conceptual Overview of Vaccines Utilization for the Prevention of Rotavirus in Children

Rotavirus infection is an emphatic health concern that when left unabated elicits hospitalizations, and deaths of many children due to diarrhea, even in developed countries; let one in poor settings. Likewise, the virus can affect older youngsters and adults resulting in mild infection. The consequences of the rotavirus could not be unconnected with the levels of poor prevention ploys put in place, including the inability of the body of children to counteract the rotavirus with a substantial immunity due to earlier invasion. Thus, it is important to seek for vaccines, because vaccination use in disease prevention is becoming a forefront efficient and easiest way nowadays. This paper brings a conceptual overview of vaccines utilization for the prevention of rotavirus infection in children under the following headings: Introduction, rotavirus vaccines, replicating vaccines, non-replicating vaccines, subunit vaccines, virus like particles, encapsulation, rotavirus vaccination, and conclusion.

Frequency and seasonal distribution of adenovirus and rotavirus in children diagnosed with acute gastroenteritis: A single centre experience

Aim: We aimed to investigate the relationship between age, gender, and season with respect to the frequency of rotavirus and adenovirus antigens in stool specimens obtained from children one month to 18 years of age who were diagnosed with acute gastroenteritis.&#x0D; Materials and Methods: The records of stool specimen analyses for 1960 patients with diagnosis of acute gastroenteritis at our hospital from January 2017 to August 2022 were retrospectively examined. The patient's admission year, season, gender, age, and stool viral antigen test results were retrospectively analyzed from the file records.&#x0D; Results: Viral antigen was detected in stool specimen in 364 (13.8%) of the patients included in the study, while 92 (4.7%) of them were rotavirus and 180 (9.1%) were adenoviruses. We found that both rotavirus and adenovirus were most common in the children one month-2 years of age. In our study, rotavirus was most commonly detected in December and winter, while adenovirus was detected in March and spring. Twenty-six (28.2%) patients with rotavirus gastroenteritis and 68 (37.7%) patients with adenovirus gastroenteritis were hospitalized and treated.&#x0D; Conclusion: Our study showed now that rotavirus and adenovirus, which are the agents of viral gastroenteritis, are seen at a substantial rate. Especially in children under the two years of age, the frequency of detection of viral agents is higher. Enteric adenovirus and rotavirus were detected more frequently in winter and spring. We suggest that viral gastroenteritis agents should be considered and examined in children with suspected gastroenteritis.

Diagnostic accuracy of rotavirus antigen tests in children: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Rotavirus infection is the leading cause of acute gastroenteritis (AGE) in children. Children with rotavirus infection may have symptoms such as diarrhoea or vomiting. Diarrheal diseases caused by rotavirus and other enteric pathogens cannot be differentiated on the basis of clinical symptoms. Therefore, diagnostic testing is essential to confirm a diagnosis of rotavirus infection. The aim of the meta-analysis is to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of immunochromatographic rotavirus antigen tests in children. We searched the PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library and Google Scholar databases for studies evaluating the diagnostic accuracy of antigen tests for rotavirus in children. We included studies that provided sufficient data to construct a 2× 2 table on a per patient basis. The overall sensitivity and specificity of the antigen tests were determined using a bivariate random-effects model. In total, 12 studies with 4407 participants were included in the study. The meta-analysis yielded a pooled sensitivity of 89.2% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 77.4%-95.3%) and pooled specificity of 93.2% (95% CI: 83.8%-97.3%). A subgroup analysis of such tests in children aged ≤5 years yielded a pooled sensitivity of 87.1% and pooled specificity of 91.8%. Another subgroup analysis of high-quality studies involving 820 participants yielded a pooled sensitivity of 92.3% and pooled specificity of 95.2%. Rotavirus antigen tests have high sensitivity for the diagnosis of rotavirus infection in children with AGE. In addition, such tests may be effective for the identification and clinical management of rotavirus infection in children and the prevention of disease progression.

Acute norovirus gastroenteritis in up to five years children highly rotavirus-vaccinated population in southern Brazil

The acute gastroenteritis remains a problem social, economic and of the public health of the global impact and among the main causative agents are the viruses. This study aimed to show the circulation of rotavirus (RoV) and norovirus (NoV) infections in children under 5 years, vaccinated or not against RoV, enrolled in the health system presented gastroenteritis. From March 2011 to February 2012 a total of 160 stool samples were collected, overall positivity rates were 11.9% (19/160) for NoV and was not found infected patients with RV. The children include had a mean of 2.8 and a median of 3 years of old, and the average of rotavirus vaccination rate was 83.85%. This result shows that this circulating NoV and suggests a reduction in the occurrence of RoV infection in children with high vaccination coverage rate.

Microneedle patch as a new platform to effectively deliver inactivated polio vaccine and inactivated rotavirus vaccine.

We recently reported a lack of interference between inactivated rotavirus vaccine (IRV) and inactivated poliovirus vaccine (IPV) and their potential dose sparing when the two vaccines were administered intramuscularly either in combination or standalone in rats and guinea pigs. In the present study, we optimized the formulations of both vaccines and investigated the feasibility of manufacturing a combined IRV-IPV dissolving microneedle patch (dMNP), assessing its compatibility and immunogenicity in rats. Our results showed that IRV delivered by dMNP alone or in combination with IPV induced similar levels of RV-specific IgG and neutralizing antibody. Likewise, IPV delivered by dMNP alone or in combination with IRV induced comparable levels of neutralizing antibody of poliovirus types 1, 2, and 3. We further demonstrated high stability of IRV-dMNP at 5, 25, and 40 °C and IPV-dMNP at 5 and 25 °C, and found that three doses of IRV or IPV when co-administered at a quarter dose was as potent as a full target dose in inducing neutralizing antibodies against corresponding rotavirus or poliovirus. We conclude that IRV-IPV dMNP did not interfere with each other in triggering an immunologic response and were highly immunogenic in rats. Our findings support the further development of this innovative approach to deliver a novel combination vaccine against rotavirus and poliovirus in children throughout the world.

T-Cell Responses after Rotavirus Infection or Vaccination in Children: A Systematic Review.

Cellular immunity against rotavirus in children is incompletely understood. This review describes the current understanding of T-cell immunity to rotavirus in children. A systematic literature search was conducted in Embase, MEDLINE, Web of Science, and Global Health databases using a combination of “t-cell”, “rotavirus” and “child” keywords to extract data from relevant articles published from January 1973 to March 2020. Only seventeen articles were identified. Rotavirus-specific T-cell immunity in children develops and broadens reactivity with increasing age. Whilst occurring in close association with antibody responses, T-cell responses are more transient but can occur in absence of detectable antibody responses. Rotavirus-induced T-cell immunity is largely of the gut homing phenotype and predominantly involves Th1 and cytotoxic subsets that may be influenced by IL-10 Tregs. However, rotavirus-specific T-cell responses in children are generally of low frequencies in peripheral blood and are limited in comparison to other infecting pathogens and in adults. The available research reviewed here characterizes the T-cell immune response in children. There is a need for further research investigating the protective associations of rotavirus-specific T-cell responses against infection or vaccination and the standardization of rotavirus-specific T-cells assays in children.

Sapovirus, Norovirus and Rotavirus Detections in Stool Samples of Hospitalized Finnish Children With and Without Acute Gastroenteritis.

Background:Sapovirus, norovirus and rotavirus are major causes of childhood acute gastroenteritis (AGE) globally. Asymptomatic infections of these viruses have not been extensively studied.Aim:To examine the prevalence and the genetic variations of sapovirus, norovirus and rotavirus in children with and without symptoms of AGE.Methods:We collected 999 stool samples from children under 16 years old from September 2009 to August 2011 at Tampere University Hospital, Finland. In total 442 children (44%) had symptoms of AGE and 557 patients (56%) had acute respiratory tract infection (ARTI) only. Samples were examined for sapovirus, norovirus and rotavirus using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and the positive amplicons were sequenced.Results:Totally 54% and 14% of the patients in AGE and ARTI groups, respectively, tested positive. All viruses were more frequently detected in AGE patients than in ARTI patients (norovirus, 25% vs. 7.2%, respectively; rotavirus, 24% vs. 6.1%; sapovirus, 5.2% vs. 1.4%). In ARTI patients, the cases were seen most frequently during the first two years of life. Norovirus was the most detected pathogen in both groups with genogroup GII covering ≥97% of norovirus strains. Sapovirus was mostly detected in children under 18 months old without predominating genotype. Rotavirus was often detected after recent rotavirus vaccination and 18% and 88% of the strains were rotavirus vaccine-derived in AGE and ARTI groups, respectively.Conclusions:We showed that the most common viruses causing gastroenteritis in children may be found in the stools of an asymptomatic carrier which may function as a potential reservoir for AGE.

Detection of Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli in Rotavirus-Infected Ghanaian Children Diagnosed with Acute Gastroenteritis.

Diarrhea is a notable global health problem in several developing countries, especially in children. Prior to the introduction of the rotavirus vaccination program in Ghana, a surveillance study was conducted to investigate the prevalence of the disease caused by rotavirus in children. In this report, we re-used archival stool samples from the pre-vaccine surveillance study to provide information on prevalence of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli in Ghanaian children. Re-analysis of the stool samples revealed co-infection of enterotoxigenic E. coli and rotavirus in 2% of the children whose samples were selected for this study. As Ghana is approaching 10 years post-implementation of the rotavirus vaccination program, the preliminary data presented in this report are a vital reference for subsequent studies aimed at ascertaining the effect of the vaccine on both rotavirus and enterotoxigenic E. coli.

The Epidemiological and clinical profiles of acute diarrhea due rotavirus in children aged 0-71 months hospitalized at Kalembe-lembe pediatric hospital in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo

This research is based on a retrospective analysis of medical records filed in the archives of the emergency departments of Kalembe-lembe Hospital in the provincial city of Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The study involved 324 records of patients aged 0-71 months admitted to the emergency departments and hospitalized for acute diarrhea from January 1 to December 31, 2015. The aim was to inventory the cases of rotavirus diarrhea and/or other germs (individually or in combination) to study their epidemiological and clinical aspects. Thus, the epidemiological and clinical parameters (age, sex, season, symptoms, frequency and physical aspects of stools, dehydration status and duration of hospitalization) of diarrheic children diagnosed as positive for rotavirus were compared with those infected with other germs (individually or in combination with rotavirus or other viruses). The search for the etiological agents of the diarrhea was performed in 56.48% of the cases. The results of this work allowed us to show: (i) a predominance of infections by viruses (69.94%) including rotavirus (48.08%), (ii) high rates of infections by etiological agents of diarrhea including rotavirus in children under 12 months, (iii) a high proportion of vomiting, (iii) a high proportion of vomiting, fever, physical asthenia and restlessness or frequent and liquid stools or moderate dehydration in children infected with rotavirus, (iv) specific clinical pictures according to the etiological agents of diarrhea or their combinations.