Longitudinal study of rotavirus infection in child-care centres.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the epidemiology of symptomatic and asymptomatic rotavirus infection among young children attending Sydney child-care centres during the 1994 rotavirus season.


METHODS
Children aged 0-36 months in 11 child-care centres participated in the study. A weekly stool specimen was collected from each subject and tested for rotavirus antigen by commercial enzyme immunoassay.


RESULTS
One hundred and seventy-eight children (76 girls and 102 boys) with a mean age of 18.2 +/- 6.5 (SD) months were enrolled for a total of 2249 child-weeks. Of 1653 weekly faecal specimens, 59 (3.6%) were positive for rotavirus antigen. Positivity for rotavirus antigen peaked at 8.0% and 7.4% of specimens in weeks 6 and 7, respectively. The 59 positive specimens were obtained from 44 children in eight of the 11 study centres. One child appeared to suffer a second episode. Eighty-two per cent of episodes were associated with symptoms of gastroenteritis. Overall, 32% of the children in the eight affected centres were infected; 52% of those < 12 months were infected compared to 26% of older children. Secondary spread to household contacts was also documented.


CONCLUSIONS
Rotavirus infection poses a significant health problem in under-3-year-old children attending child-care centres in Sydney. We believe that these results are applicable to all Australian children of this age attending group child care.
Ferson
M J
MJ
Public Health Unit, South Eastern Sydney Area Health Service, New South Wales, Australia.
Stringfellow
S
S
McPhie
K
K
McIver
C J
CJ
Simos
A
A
D000818:Animals; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002656:Child Day Care Centers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D017281:Cost of Illness; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D016208:Databases, Factual; D005260:Female; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology / Q000821:virology*; D005872:Giardia / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009517:New South Wales / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012400:Rotavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012494:Sampling Studies; D012621:Seasons; D018571:Sentinel Surveillance
D000956:Antigens, Viral