title: Human rotavirus subgroups and severity of associated diarrhoea in Ghana.
abstract: In a 12 month study of children with acute diarrhoea seeking medical care in 2 hospitals in Accra, Ghana, 16.3% were found to be infected with human rotaviruses (HRV). Vomiting and diarrhoea were the main symptoms observed. HRV infection was frequently associated with severe diarrhoea. Vomiting was however less frequent in HRV associated diarrhoea than in non HRV diarrhoea. No significant association was observed between the severity of dehydration and HRV infection. Subgroup II HRV was the predominant subgroup identified with the dominant serotypes being HRV serotypes 1 and 4. Poly-acrylamide gel electrophoresis of HRV RNAs isolated from 40 positive stool samples revealed the existence of 7 distinct electrophoretic migration patterns in the study population.
authors.affiliation: Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, P. O. Box 25, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana.
authors.forename: George E.
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Armah
authors.forename: Hiroki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hori
authors.forename: Akwasi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Anyanful
authors.forename: Julius A.
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Addo
authors.forename: Joseph O.
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Commey
authors.forename: Hitoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kamiya
authors.forename: Francis K.
authors.initials: FK
authors.lastname: Nkrumah