ROTAVIRUS ASSOCIATED GASTROENTERITIS AMONG CHILDREN UNDER FIVE YEARS

Severe rotavirus diarrhea in children is a major cause of morbidity globally and mortality in developing countries. The aim of the study was to determine the frequency of rotavirus as a causative agent among children under five years with gastroenteritis admitted to hospital. This is a retrospective study. A total of 345 cases of acute diarrhea mainly in children below 5 years of age admitted at tertiary care Pediatric hospital in University center “Mother Theresa” over the period 2011- 2013 were included in the study. Medical history, diarrhea symptoms, treatment prior to hospitalization and demographics were obtained from medical records. Stool samples were analyzed for rotavirus rotavirus using an enzyme linked immunoassay. The mean age of children is 20.3 months. Of the 345 samples collected 35.4%, 95%CI (30.5-40.5) were positive for rotavirus. The seasonal distribution demonstrates that rotavirus associated diarrhea is more frequent during winter (42.2%) and spring (40.4%) seasons. Etiologic data on diarrheal diseases and are important tools for clinical management and control strategic planning. Rotavirus infection is a major cause for hospitalization of children below the age of 5 years with acute diarrhea.