title: Rotavirus-associated gastro-enteritis at Ga-Rankuwa Hospital. A pilot study.
abstract: During 1982 a pilot study was initiated to investigate the prevalence of rotavirus-associated gastro-enteritis among the infants and young children admitted to the Gastro-enteritis Unit at Ga-Rankuwa Hospital. The seasonal parameters of the area were included in the study. From March to December 1982 rectal swabs were randomly collected from 256 of the more than 3 000 admissions to the unit. The swabs were stored at -20 degrees C until assayed in duplicate by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Overall 32.8% of the patients tested were found to have a rotavirus-associated illness with a definite seasonal pattern emerging, which is not in accordance with other data published for the black population in the RSA.
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012400:Rotavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012621:Seasons; D013019:South Africa