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Published on: February 6, 2017
[Rotavirus surveillance data from Kunming Children's Hospital, 1998 - 2001]
Li-jie Zhang1, Zeng-qing Du, Qing Zhang
1National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 100052, China.
Insights
Rotavirus is a major cause of acute diarrhea in young children in Kunming, with a peak incidence in autumn and winter. Understanding rotavirus strains is crucial for developing effective vaccines.
Area of Science:
- Epidemiology
- Virology
- Public Health
Context:
- Rotavirus is a leading cause of severe diarrheal disease globally, particularly in children under five.
- Surveillance of rotavirus epidemiology is essential for guiding vaccination strategies and public health interventions.
Purpose:
- To investigate the epidemiological characteristics of rotavirus diarrhea in Kunming.
- To identify prevalent rotavirus strains to inform vaccine development and immunization programs.
Summary:
- A three-year hospital-based surveillance identified rotavirus in 52.8% of acute diarrhea cases among children under five in Kunming.
- The majority of cases (97%) occurred in children under two, with a seasonal peak from October to December.
- Predominant G serotypes included G1 (47.5%) and G2 (17.6%), while common P genotypes were P[4] (29.3%) and P[8] (27.6%). The most frequent combination was P[4]G2.
Impact:
- Findings highlight rotavirus as a significant contributor to childhood diarrhea in Kunming.
- This epidemiological data is vital for optimizing rotavirus vaccine efficacy and improving immunization program outcomes.
Objective:
To study the epidemiological status on rotavirus diarrhea in Kunming to improve the rotavirus vaccine immunization program.
Methods:
A hospital-based sentinel surveillance program for rotavirus was set up among children less than 5 years old with acute diarrhea in Kunming Children's Hospital. Clinical information and fecal specimens were collected and rotavirus were detected by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) and/or enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Positive specimens were further serotyped or genotyped by ELISA and/or RT-PCR.
Results:
During the three years of surveillance, 466 specimens were collected. Rotavirus were detected on 246 (52.8%) specimens. 97% of the rotavirus diarrhea cases occurred among children less than 2 years old. There was a peak of admissions for rotavirus diarrhea cases between October and December which accounted for 48% of all the rotavirus hospitalizations each year. Among 204 specimens with G serotyping, the predominant strain was serotype G1 (47.5%) followed by G2 (17.6%), G3 (15.7%), G9 (4.9%) and G4 (1.0%). Mixed infection (2.5%) were rare and 22 specimens (10.8%) remained non-typeable. P genotyping showed P[4], P[8] and P[6] were the most common strains, accounting for 29.3%, 27.6% and 13.8% respectively. P[4]G2 was the most common strain which accounted for 34.1% (14/41) followed by P[8]G1 (29.3%) and P[6]G9 (12.2%). Another 7 uncommon P-G combinations were also identified.
Conclusion:
Rotavirus was the major cause of acute diarrhea in Kunming. An effective rotavirus vaccine for prevention and control of rotavirus diarrhea should be developed.
