Rotavirus infection in children hospitalised with diarrhoea in Sri Lanka.
Seasonal and clinical aspects of rotavirus-associated diarrhoea in 98 of the 326 children hospitalised for diarrhoea are described. Rotavirus infection was detected (30% overall) throughout the year from May 1980 to April 1981, but the prevalence was higher during the rainy season (40-50%). The age group in which rotavirus was detected most frequently was from 4 months to 2 years (34.6%). Watery diarrhoea and vomiting were significantly commoner in children with rotavirus diarrhoea (75% and 71% respectively) than those with non-rotavirus diarrhoea (54.2% and 60.8% respectively; p less than 0.05). Although about 15% of the children with rotavirus-associated diarrhoea showed blood or mucus in stools, the invasive nature of rotavirus infection cannot be drawn since the study did not include tests to detect other diarrhoeal pathogens.
Mendis
L
L
Faculty of Medicine, Colombo.
de Silva
D
D
Soysa
P
P
Lamabadusuriya
S P
SP
D000367:Age Factors; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003968:Diarrhea, Infantile / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007297:Inpatients; D012400:Rotavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012621:Seasons; D013188:Sri Lanka / Q000453:epidemiology