Viral childhood diarrhoea in Rome: a diagnostic and epidemiological study.
During the period May 1987-January 1989, faecal samples from 417 paediatric inpatients admitted to the main paediatric hospital in Rome were screened by direct electron microscopy and rotavirus enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Rotaviruses were detected in 18.2% of cases and adenoviruses in 7%, whereas astroviruses were found in 1% of cases. Different percentages of rotavirus excretors were revealed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and electron microscopy. This discrepancy seems to be due to false positive results introduced by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Analysis of electron microscopy-positive samples by rotaviral RNA polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis showed different electropherotypes of rotavirus among which a single, largely predominant long electropherotype (55.4%) was revealed. Short electropherotype subgroup I rotaviruses were demonstrated in about 10.7% of samples.
Laboratorio di Ultrastrutture, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.
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Donelli
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Superti
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Tinari
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Marziano
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Caione
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Concato
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Menichella
D000258:Adenovirus Infections, Human / Q000175:diagnosis; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000382:microbiology*; D003968:Diarrhea, Infantile / Q000382:microbiology; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D001257:Mamastrovirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D010850:Picornaviridae Infections / Q000175:diagnosis; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D012384:Rome / Q000453:epidemiology; D012400:Rotavirus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology
D012367:RNA, Viral