title: Report of the Australian rotavirus surveillance program 2002-03.
abstract: The National Rotavirus Reference Centre, together with collaborating laboratories Australia-wide, has conducted rotavirus surveillance since June 1999. This report describes the serotypes of rotavirus strains responsible for the hospitalisation of children with acute gastroenteritis during the period 1 July 2002 to 30 June 2003. We examined 573 faecal samples using monoclonal antibody immunoassays, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, and polyacrylamide gel analysis. For the second consecutive year, serotype G9 strains were the most prevalent type nationally (74.7%) and were found in all seven contributing centres. Serotype G1 strains were the second most prevalent type (11.3%), identified in four of the centres. These findings have implications for vaccine development strategies which have targeted protection of disease due to serotypes G1-G4.
authors.affiliation: National Rotavirus Reference Centre, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, Flemington Road, Parkville, VIC 3052. kirkwooc@mcri.edu.au
authors.forename: Carl D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Kirkwood
authors.forename: Nada
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bogdanovic-Sakran
authors.forename: Ruth
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Clark
authors.forename: Ruth F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Bishop
authors.forename: Graeme L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Barnes
mesh_terms: D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002673:Child, Hospitalized / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005243:Feces / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007753:Laboratories / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods; D015995:Prevalence; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012401:Rotavirus / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012400:Rotavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control*