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Astrovirus infection in young children with diarrhea hospitalized at Beijing Children's Hospital

Chun-yan Liu1, Kun-ling Shen, Shu-xin Wang

  • 1Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital University of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100045, China. chunyan73@hotmail.com

Chinese Medical Journal
|March 27, 2004
PubMed

Insights

Astrovirus infection affected 9.0% of young children hospitalized with diarrhea in Beijing. The predominant strain was astrovirus serotype 1, indicating its significant role in pediatric viral gastroenteritis.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Infectious Diseases
  • Virology
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Astrovirus is a significant cause of viral gastroenteritis in children worldwide.
  • Understanding its epidemiological and clinical features in specific populations is crucial for public health interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the incidence and characteristics of astrovirus infection in hospitalized children under 5 years old with diarrhea in Beijing.
  • To identify the predominant astrovirus serotype circulating in this population.

Main Methods:

  • A total of 288 children under 5 with diarrhea were studied from September 1999 to August 2001.
  • Fecal samples were analyzed for astrovirus using enzyme immunoassay (EIA) and reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).
  • Serotyping was performed using RT-PCR with serotype-specific primers.

Main Results:

  • Astrovirus was detected in 9.0% of the pediatric patients.
  • Coinfection with rotavirus occurred in 19.2% of astrovirus-positive cases.
  • The majority of infected children (92.3%) were under 12 months old, with infection peaking between October and March.
  • Astrovirus serotype 1 was the predominant type identified.

Conclusions:

  • Astrovirus infection accounts for 9.0% of viral diarrhea cases in hospitalized young children in Beijing.
  • Astrovirus serotype 1 is the main circulating strain, highlighting its importance in pediatric gastroenteritis.
  • These findings underscore the significant role of astrovirus in pediatric viral diarrhea in Beijing, China.
Abstract

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