title: Clinical presentations of rotavirus infection among hospitalized children.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although rotaviruses (RVs) are the most common cause of severe gastroenteritis in children, there is a lack of information detailing the spectrum of clinical manifestations of RV disease resulting in hospitalization.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To characterize the clinical spectrum of RV-associated hospitalizations, including short stay visits in children.
  
  
  METHODS
  Active RV disease surveillance was conducted at three children's hospitals Sundays through Thursdays in children 15 days through 4 years of age admitted with diarrhea (D), vomiting (V) and/or unexplained fever (F) between November, 1997, and June, 1998. Stool specimens were collected and tested for RV by enzyme immunoassay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 862 children enrolled, 763 (88%) had a stool specimen tested for RV. Overall 31% of children excreted RV. RV excretion was highest when all 3 symptoms (D, V and F) occurred in the same child (56%), lower when 2 symptoms occurred together (38% DV; 19% DF; 13% VF) and lowest when each symptom occurred alone (3% D; 11% V; 6% F). Nine percent of the children without diarrhea excreted RV. Children admitted without diarrhea were more likely to have rotavirus if they developed diarrhea during their hospitalization.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  RV detection was greatest when diarrhea, vomiting and fever occurred together and lowest when each symptom occurred alone. The spectrum of symptoms of rotavirus disease in children at the time of admission to the hospital or short stay unit may be broader than previously recognized.
authors: Division of Infectious Disease, Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA. staam0@chmcc.org
authors: Mary Allen
authors: MA
authors: Staat
authors: Parvin H
authors: PH
authors: Azimi
authors: Tamas
authors: T
authors: Berke
authors: Nancy
authors: N
authors: Roberts
authors: David I
authors: DI
authors: Bernstein
authors: Richard L
authors: RL
authors: Ward
authors: Larry K
authors: LK
authors: Pickering
authors: David O
authors: DO
authors: Matson
mesh_terms: D002140:California / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D005334:Fever / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D009820:Ohio / Q000453:epidemiology; D011159:Population Surveillance; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012401:Rotavirus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012400:Rotavirus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012621:Seasons; D014768:Virginia / Q000453:epidemiology; D014839:Vomiting / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology