Rotavirus Gastroenteritis in Eastern Uttar Pradesh, India

Area of Science:

• Pediatrics
• Infectious Diseases
• Virology

Background:

• Acute gastroenteritis is a significant health concern in young children.
• Rotavirus is a leading cause of severe diarrhea in children globally.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify rotavirus diarrhea cases in children under five in Uttar Pradesh.
• To describe the clinical profile of rotavirus gastroenteritis.
• To determine prevalent rotavirus genotypes.

Main Methods:

• Surveillance of children aged 0-59 months admitted with diarrhea.
• Collection of clinical history, sociodemographic data, and stool samples.
• Rotavirus isolation and genotyping using molecular methods.

Main Results:

• Rotavirus was detected in 11.33% of stool samples (47/418).
• Rotavirus gastroenteritis predominantly affected children under two years.
• The most common genotype was G3P[8] (28.89%), followed by G2P[4] (15.56%).
• No significant difference in clinical characteristics was observed between rotavirus-positive and negative cases, except for a longer hospital stay in rotavirus patients.

Conclusions:

• Rotavirus diarrhea is most prevalent in children under two years in Uttar Pradesh.
• The G3P[8] genotype is the most common circulating strain.
• Findings support the need for rotavirus vaccination and genotype surveillance.