title: Clinical and epidemiological features of acute gastroenteritis caused by human rotavirus subgroups.
abstract: Rotavirus was detected in 44 (15.28%) of 288 hospitalised children suffering from gastroenteritis in Delhi over a period of one year. Of these 44 children, subgroup I and II rotaviruses were detected in 13 (29.55%) and 25 (56.82%) children respectively. Samples from 5 (11.36%) children did not react with either subgroup I or II monoclonal antibodies, indicating the presence of a third subgroup. Both subgroups I and II were detected in one (2.27%) case. The median ages of the children infected by subgroup I and II rotavirus were 7 and 12 months respectively. Rotavirus was more prevalent in boys than in girls. The peak of rotavirus infection was seen in the early winter months. The difference of maximum and minimum monthly temperatures correlated significantly (p less than 0.05) with the incidence of rotavirus infection. Subgroup II was the predominant group throughout the period of study and caused a significantly higher incidence of severe diarrhoea than did subgroup I.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Maulana Azad Medical College, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chakravarti
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Mittal
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Broor
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003968:Diarrhea, Infantile / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D012401:Rotavirus / Q000145:classification*; D012400:Rotavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*