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[Rotavirus infections in childhood: studies using a molecular biology method (gene electrophoresis)]
Insights
Rotavirus (RV) infection caused significant diarrhea in hospitalized children under 16, peaking in infants aged 10-12 months. Genomic dsRNA electrophoresis proved a reliable method for detecting RV, aiding in epidemiological studies.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Pediatrics
- Epidemiology
Context:
- Acute diarrheal disease is a common pediatric hospitalization reason.
- Rotavirus (RV) is a major causative agent of severe diarrhea in infants and young children.
- Understanding RV epidemiology and detection is crucial for public health.
Purpose:
- To investigate the prevalence and characteristics of rotavirus (RV) infection in hospitalized children with acute diarrhea.
- To evaluate the utility of genomic dsRNA electrophoresis for RV detection and analysis.
- To identify peak incidence periods and age groups for RV-associated diarrhea.
Summary:
- A 15-month study analyzed 205 children hospitalized for diarrhea, detecting RV in 58% (119 cases).
- RV infection peaked in 10-12 month olds, with winter epidemics observed.
- Genomic dsRNA electrophoresis identified 8 RV types and proved a fast, reliable detection method, with low prevalence in asymptomatic controls (1%).
Impact:
- Highlights the significant burden of rotavirus in pediatric hospitalizations.
- Demonstrates the effectiveness of genomic dsRNA electrophoresis for rotavirus diagnostics and epidemiological surveillance.
- Provides data on rotavirus seasonality and age-specific incidence, informing public health interventions.
Abstract:
During a 15-month period all children below 16 years admitted to the Children's Hospital in St. Gallen with acute diarrheal disease were studied for rotavirus (RV) infection. Stool samples from control patients without gastrointestinal disease were investigated for RV shedding in order to detect RV carriers or asymptomatically infected children. RV was detected by electrophoresis of RV genomic dsRNA in 154 children. 119 (58%) of 205 patients hospitalized because of diarrhea were RV associated, 25 children became symptomatically ill during their hospitalization, and in 10 (1%) of 954 control patients RV could be found. During the winter 1983/1984 two epidemic peaks of RV associated diarrhea were noted, whereas in the summer period RV related disease occurred only sporadically. The peak incidence of RV infection was in the age group between 10 and 12 months. After the 3rd year of life RV infection only rarely required hospitalization. During this study period 8 different genomic RNA patterns of RV were found. The number of patients within these 8 RV types, however, is too small to allow definite correlations between epidemiological or clinical features and selected electrophorotypes. The possibility to perform refined epidemiological and clinical analyses of RV infection by genomic dsRNA electrophoresis offers important advantages when compared to other RV detection systems. In addition, this method has proven to be fast, simple and reliable.