Seasonality of rotavirus infection in Ghana.
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.
Armah
G E
GE
Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Legon.
Mingle
J A
JA
Dodoo
A K
AK
Anyanful
A
A
Antwi
R
R
Commey
J
J
Nkrumah
F K
FK
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
D012367:RNA, Viral