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Epidemiology of rotavirus diarrhoea in children under five years in Bahrain
S R Dutta1, S A Khalfan, B H Baig
1Public Health Laboratory, Ministry of Health, State of Bahrain.
Insights
Rotavirus was the most common cause of diarrhea in Bahraini children under five. Infection rates were higher in hospitalized children, males, and those with highly educated mothers or from wealthier homes.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Virology
- Public Health
Background:
- Diarrheal diseases pose a significant health burden in young children globally.
- Identifying the causative agents of diarrhea is crucial for effective management and prevention strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the etiology of diarrhea in children under five in Bahrain.
- To specifically determine the role of rotavirus in pediatric diarrhea cases.
- To analyze risk factors associated with rotavirus infection.
Main Methods:
- A case-control study was conducted in Bahrain from February 1984 to March 1986.
- Fecal samples were collected from 698 children with diarrhea and 532 non-diarrheal controls.
- Enteropathogen detection, with a focus on rotavirus, was performed.
Main Results:
- Rotavirus was the most frequently detected enteropathogen (20.8% of cases), accounting for 68.7% of all positive samples.
- Hospitalized children had significantly higher rotavirus infection rates than non-hospitalized cases.
- Infection peaked in infants aged 6-11 months and was absent in children over 24 months.
- Higher maternal education and household income were associated with increased rotavirus detection.
- No seasonal trend or correlation with environmental factors was observed.
Conclusions:
- Rotavirus is a major contributor to diarrhea in young children in Bahrain.
- Factors such as hospitalization status, age, maternal education, and socioeconomic status are associated with rotavirus infection.
- Understanding these associations can inform targeted public health interventions.
Abstract:
A case-control study in children under five years of age was undertaken in Bahrain between February 1984 to March 1986 to study the aetiology of diarrhoea with special reference to rotavirus. During this period fecal samples were collected from 698 hospitalized and non-hospitalized diarrhoea cases and 532 from non-diarrhoea controls. Rotavirus was the enteropathogen most commonly detected (20.8%) and represented 68.7% of the total positives from the cases. Percentage rotavirus infection detected in the hospitalized patients was significantly higher than in non-hospitalized cases. Rotavirus was most frequently detected in the age group 6-11 months (26.6%). Rotavirus was not detected at all above 24 months of age. A higher percentage of rotavirus infection was noticed in males up to 11 months. Children of mothers with university education showed a higher level of rotavirus infection (39.3%) in comparison to children of mothers with school level education (20.4%) or no education (19.6%). Rotavirus was detected more often in patients from higher income homes (25.6%) compared to a lower income group (18.2%). No significant difference in rotavirus positivity was noticed between the children of working and non-working mothers. Rotavirus detection in relation to different feeding habits showed no difference. Rotavirus could be detected throughout the year from diarrhoea cases in Bahrain and showed no seasonal trend. It did not show any correlation with mean monthly temperature and mean monthly relative humidity.