title: Rotavirus infections of neonates.
abstract: Faecal specimens from 628 newborn babies in the nurseries of six metropolitan hospitals were examined by electron microscopy for rotaviruses. 304 babies (49%) were found to be excreting virus. All those infected were in five nurseries; viruses were not detected in specimens from the sixth nursery. Two nurseries were studied for 9 mo and another for 11 mo and rotaviruses were found consistently in 40-50% of stools examined. There was no seasonal variation. None of the neonates under the age of one day were infected but by the age of three to four days approximately 50% were excreting virus. Most of those shedding virus were symptom-free but 84 (28%) had diarrhoea. Persisting endemic rotavirus infection is apparently common in hospital nurseries in Sydney. The virus is probably transmitted by environmental spread from neonate to neonate.
mesh_terms: D001315:Australia; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D003968:Diarrhea, Infantile / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000453:epidemiology; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007232:Infant, Newborn, Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D009725:Nurseries, Hospital; D012401:Rotavirus; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*