title: Seasonality of rotavirus infection in Ghana.
abstract: Human rotavirus (HRV) infection and its seasonal distribution was studied over a 12-month period in Ghana. A total of 561 stool samples, 447 diarrhoea stools and 114 non-diarrhoea stools (controls), were obtained from children attending three polyclinics in Accra. Rotavirus was detected during 10 of the 12 months and showed a seasonal trend. It was high during the relatively cool dry months and low during the wet season. Peaks of infection were in February (26.2%) and September (24.5%). HRV was detected in 67 of 447 of the diarrhoea stools (15.0%) and in eight of 114 controls (7.0%). The HRV isolation rate was highest (20.2%) in the under-18-months age group. The RNA electropherotype of the HRV isolates was predominantly (83.6%) of the long type. Non-group A HRV was detected in 14.9% of the HRV-positive samples.
authors: Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Legon.
authors: G E
authors: GE
authors: Armah
authors: J A
authors: JA
authors: Mingle
authors: A K
authors: AK
authors: Dodoo
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Anyanful
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Antwi
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Commey
authors: F K
authors: FK
authors: Nkrumah
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003968:Diarrhea, Infantile / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D015180:Electrophoresis, Gel, Two-Dimensional; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D005869:Ghana / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D016555:Matched-Pair Analysis; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012367:RNA, Viral; D012401:Rotavirus / Q000145:classification*; D012400:Rotavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D012621:Seasons; D012703:Serotyping
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral