title: Epidemiological profile of rotaviral infection in India: challenges for the 21st century.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Rotaviruses cause acute viral gastroenteritis worldwide. It has been estimated that, each year, 440,000 deaths that occur among children are attributed to rotavirus infection, mainly in developing countries. In India, the diversity of rotaviruses reported during the 1980s and 1990s emphasizes the need for surveillance of cocirculating strains, to follow the rapid changes in circulation and to detect novel strains.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analyzed data from published epidemiological studies, to collate available information on serotyping and genotyping of rotaviruses before the initiation of a national rotavirus surveillance program. The studies included 18 Indian cities and were performed during 1996-2001.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Rotaviruses were detected in 23.4% of patients with diarrhea who presented to the hospital. There were marked geographic differences in virus circulation, with G1 being the single most common G type identified in all parts of India, except for western India. Group B rotaviruses were reported from Kolkata and Pune. Human infections with strains G6, G8, G10, and G9P[19], which may occur as a result of zoonotic transmission of bovine and porcine rotaviruses, were reported from western, southern, and eastern India.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The remarkable diversity of rotaviruses circulating in India highlights the need for uniform, widespread surveillance for rotaviruses before the initiation and during the implementation of immunization programs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastrointestinal Sciences, Christian Medical College, Vellore, India. gkang@cmcvellore.ac.in
authors.forename: Gagandeep
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Shobhana D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Kelkar
authors.forename: Shoba D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Chitambar
authors.forename: Pratima
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ray
authors.forename: Trailokyanath
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Naik
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D036022:Capsid Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary / Q000821:virology; D018562:Disease Transmission, Infectious; D005838:Genotype; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D015201:Meta-Analysis as Topic; D010343:Patient Admission; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D012401:Rotavirus / Q000235:genetics*; D012400:Rotavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission / Q000662:veterinary; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D015047:Zoonoses / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000956:Antigens, Viral; D036022:Capsid Proteins; D012367:RNA, Viral; C060339:VP4 protein, Rotavirus; C050779:VP7 protein, Rotavirus