Prevalence of Rotavirus Diarrhoea in Children in Davangere, Karnataka

摘要

Introduction: Rotavirus was described 40 years back, yet it is recognized as the leading cause of diarrhoeal morbidity and mortality, particularly in children in developing countries. In India, rotavirus infection accounts for ~26% of all childhood diarrhoea-related hospitalizations. Hence, it is important to know the prevalence of rotavirus diarrhoea in children.Aim: To detect the presence of rotavirus antigen in the stool samples of suspected cases of rotavirus diarrhoea and to know its prevalence.Materials and Methods: The study was conducted in the Department of Microbiology, JJM Medical College, Davangere, from June 2010 to May 2011 and was comprised of 100 stool samples. The study included 100 stool samples from pediatric patients from six months to five years of age. The stool samples were screened for the presence of rotavirus antigen by using monoclonal antibody based ELISA kit (Rotaclone).Results: Out of the 100 samples, rotavirus antigen was detected in 20 samples by ELISA. Maximum cases were seen in the age group of six months to two years with a male preponderance. Rotavirus diarrhoea occurred throughout the year with a distinct peak in winter (October to March).Conclusion: Rotavirus infection was seen in a considerable proportion of children in the present study. It’s important to detect rotavirus diarrhoea as early as possible to curtail the unnecessary use of antibiotics.