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Four-year study of rotavirus electropherotypes from cases of infantile diarrhea in Rome
F M Ruggeri1, M L Marziano, A Tinari
1Laboratorio di Ultrastrutture, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.
Insights
Rotavirus infections caused acute diarrhea in Rome children between 1982-1985. Two dominant rotavirus electropherotypes predominated during epidemic winters, with subgroup I rotaviruses showing minor involvement.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Virology
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Rotavirus is a leading cause of severe acute diarrhea in children worldwide.
- Understanding rotavirus seasonality and genetic diversity is crucial for public health interventions.
- Previous studies in Rome lacked detailed characterization of rotavirus strains and their temporal distribution.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the epidemiological and molecular characteristics of rotavirus infections in hospitalized children with acute diarrhea in Rome.
- To identify the predominant rotavirus electropherotypes and their seasonal patterns during a four-year period.
- To assess the role of different rotavirus subgroups in severe pediatric diarrhea.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of clinical data from 675 children with acute diarrhea admitted to a pediatric hospital in Rome (1982-1985).
- Detection of rotavirus by enzyme immunoassay or direct electron microscopy.
- Electropherotyping of viral RNA to determine genetic diversity and identify distinct strains.
- Analysis of seasonal trends and correlation with specific electropherotypes.
Main Results:
- Rotavirus was detected in 210 (31.1%) of the children studied.
- Rotavirus infections showed a distinct seasonal pattern, with peak admissions during winter months in 1982 and 1985.
- Electropherotyping of 84 rotavirus samples revealed 14 distinct electropherotypes, with two predominant strains accounting for 70.2% of typed samples.
- These dominant electropherotypes circulated during distinct periods, particularly during epidemic years.
- No short-patterned genome electropherotypes (subgroup I) were identified, suggesting limited involvement in severe diarrhea.
Conclusions:
- Rotavirus is a significant cause of acute diarrhea requiring hospitalization in Roman children.
- The study highlights the importance of winter seasonality for rotavirus outbreaks in this region.
- The predominance of specific rotavirus electropherotypes underscores the need for continued surveillance and potential vaccine strain selection based on local epidemiology.
Abstract:
Rotavirus infections were detected in 210 of 675 children with acute diarrhea admitted to a major pediatric hospital in Rome from January 1982 through December 1985. Most of the patients with rotavirus infections were admitted during the winter season in both 1982 and 1985, whereas during the two intermediate years, cases occurred in all months. Among 84 rotavirus samples examined, 14 different electropherotypes were recognized, 2 of which largely predominated over the others. The two electropherotypes were particularly frequent in the 2 epidemic years, altogether accounting for 70.2% of the samples typed, and circulated in distinct periods. None of the viruses showed a short pattern of electrophoretic migration of the genome, indicating a minor involvement of subgroup I rotaviruses in hospitalization-requiring diarrheas occurring in the area surveyed.