Occurrence of viral gastroenteritis in children below 5 years: A hospital-based study from Assam, India

Area of Science:

• Pediatrics
• Virology
• Public Health

Background:

• Viral gastroenteritis significantly contributes to child mortality and morbidity globally.
• Underreporting of viral diarrhea cases leads to data scarcity, hindering effective public health interventions.
• Children under 5 years are particularly vulnerable to severe outcomes from viral gastroenteritis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the prevalence of viral gastroenteritis in children under 5 years of age.
• To identify the specific etiological viral agents responsible for acute gastroenteritis in this pediatric population.
• To address the data gap concerning viral diarrhea in young children.

Main Methods:

• Stool samples were collected from pediatric patients presenting with acute gastroenteritis.
• Real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was employed for the simultaneous detection of multiple viruses.
• The study targeted the identification of rotavirus, adenovirus, norovirus, astrovirus, and sapovirus.

Main Results:

• Viral pathogens were detected in 55% of the analyzed stool samples.
• Adenovirus was identified as the most prevalent viral agent, accounting for 33.7% of infections.
• Rotavirus was the second most common cause, detected in 28.7% of cases.

Conclusions:

• Viral gastroenteritis is a common diagnosis in children under 5 presenting with acute diarrhea.
• Adenovirus and rotavirus are the leading viral causes of gastroenteritis in this age group.
• Accurate etiological diagnosis through molecular methods is crucial for understanding disease burden and guiding management.