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Rotavirus infection in children hospitalised with diarrhoea in Sri Lanka
L Mendis1, D de Silva, P Soysa
1Faculty of Medicine, Colombo.
Insights
Rotavirus is a common cause of diarrhoea in children, particularly during the rainy season. This study found rotavirus in 30% of hospitalized children, with higher rates in those aged 4 months to 2 years.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Virology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Diarrhoeal diseases pose a significant health burden in children worldwide.
- Rotavirus is a leading cause of severe gastroenteritis in infants and young children.
- Understanding the epidemiology and clinical presentation of rotavirus is crucial for effective management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the seasonal patterns of rotavirus-associated diarrhoea.
- To identify the clinical features distinguishing rotavirus from non-rotavirus diarrhoea.
- To determine the age distribution of rotavirus infections in hospitalized children.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of hospitalised children with diarrhoea.
- Rotavirus infection detection using laboratory methods.
- Comparison of clinical symptoms between rotavirus and non-rotavirus cases.
- Data collection over a 12-month period (May 1980 - April 1981).
Main Results:
- Rotavirus was detected in 30% of 326 hospitalised children.
- Higher rotavirus prevalence (40-50%) observed during the rainy season.
- Most frequent age group for rotavirus detection: 4 months to 2 years (34.6%).
- Watery diarrhoea (75%) and vomiting (71%) were significantly more common in rotavirus cases.
Conclusions:
- Rotavirus infection shows seasonal variation, peaking during the rainy season.
- Rotavirus diarrhoea in children is strongly associated with watery stools and vomiting.
- Further studies are needed to investigate the invasive potential of rotavirus.
Abstract:
Seasonal and clinical aspects of rotavirus-associated diarrhoea in 98 of the 326 children hospitalised for diarrhoea are described. Rotavirus infection was detected (30% overall) throughout the year from May 1980 to April 1981, but the prevalence was higher during the rainy season (40-50%). The age group in which rotavirus was detected most frequently was from 4 months to 2 years (34.6%). Watery diarrhoea and vomiting were significantly commoner in children with rotavirus diarrhoea (75% and 71% respectively) than those with non-rotavirus diarrhoea (54.2% and 60.8% respectively; p less than 0.05). Although about 15% of the children with rotavirus-associated diarrhoea showed blood or mucus in stools, the invasive nature of rotavirus infection cannot be drawn since the study did not include tests to detect other diarrhoeal pathogens.