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Published on: January 28, 2019
Sentinel hospital-based surveillance of rotavirus diarrhea in iran
A Eesteghamati1, M Gouya, A Keshtkar
1Center of Disease Control and Prevention, Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Tehran.
Insights
Rotavirus causes severe childhood diarrhea in Iran. Surveillance revealed G4P[8] as the dominant genotype, highlighting the need for rotavirus vaccination as a public health priority.
Area of Science:
- Epidemiology
- Virology
Background:
- Rotavirus is a leading cause of severe acute diarrhea in children globally.
- It contributes significantly to childhood morbidity and mortality, particularly in developing nations.
- Active surveillance is crucial for understanding the burden of rotavirus disease.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the scope and characteristics of severe rotavirus disease in children in Iran.
- To identify the prevalent rotavirus genotypes circulating in the country.
Main Methods:
- Prospective hospital-based surveillance of children under 5 with acute gastroenteritis was conducted in 5 sentinel hospitals in Iran.
- Stool samples were analyzed for rotavirus using enzyme immunoassay (EIA).
- Rotavirus-positive samples were genotyped using reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).
Main Results:
- Rotavirus was detected in 59.1% of 2198 children hospitalized for acute gastroenteritis.
- The majority of rotavirus episodes (85%) occurred in children under 2 years old, with a peak from September to January.
- G4P[8] was the most common genotype (30.9%), followed by G nontypeable/P[8] (21.8%), G4/P nontypeable (13.6%), G1[P8] (10.9%), and G2[P4] (5.5%).
Conclusions:
- Rotavirus is identified as the primary cause of severe diarrhea among children in Iran.
- The findings underscore the critical need for implementing safe and effective rotavirus vaccination programs in Iran.
- Addressing rotavirus disease is a significant public health priority for the nation.
Background:
Rotavirus is the most common causes of severe, acute diarrhea during childhood and is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in developing countries. We established active hospital-based surveillance of childhood diarrhea to assess the scope of severe rotavirus disease in Iran.
Methods:
From May 2006 through April 2007, prospective surveillance of rotavirus diarrhea among children aged <5 years was conducted in 5 sentinel hospitals in Iran. Stool samples were tested for rotavirus using a commercially available enzyme immunoassay, and rotavirus-positive samples were genotyped using reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction.
Results:
Of 2198 children admitted to the hospital for acute gastroenteritis, 1298 (59.1%) had stool samples test positive for rotavirus by enzyme immunoassay. Of the rotavirus episodes, 85% occurred during the first 2 years of life, with the peak prevalence of severe rotavirus disease occurring from September through January. Among the 110 rotavirus-positive samples that were genotyped, G4P[8] was the most commonly detected rotavirus genotype (30.9% of strains). Other commonly detected genotypes included P[8] with G nontypeable (21.8%), G4 with P nontypeable (13.6%), G1[P8] (10.9%), and G2[P4] (5.5%).
Conclusions:
Rotavirus is the most common cause of severe diarrhea in Iran, which indicates that safe and effective rotavirus vaccination in Iran is a public health priority.
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