Incidence of diarrhea caused by rotavirus infections in rural Zhengding, China: prospective, population-based surveillance.
Rotavirus is the pathogen most commonly associated with severe gastroenteritis in young children in the People's Republic of China, yet there are few population-based data on the incidence of rotavirus infection. The present study investigated the burden of rotavirus diarrhea and rotavirus infections in rural China, according to age. Population-based surveillance was used to study the incidence of rotavirus infection among children <5 years of age in 4 townships of Zhengding County, Hebei Province, China. The total population in the catchment area in 2002 was 75,630 individuals, including 2997 children aged <5 years. Stool samples were obtained and were tested for rotavirus antigen by use of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. During 2002, a total of 2010 cases of diarrhea were detected among children <5 years of age. The incidence of treated cases of diarrhea was 671 cases/1000 children/year for children <5 years of age, and it was highest for children <12 months of age (1467 cases/1000 children/year). The estimated incidence of rotavirus infection was 151 cases/1000 children/year for children <5 years of age. The highest incidence of rotavirus infection was among children aged 1-2 years (340 cases/1000 children/year). Widespread immunization of children against rotavirus before 6 months of age should be considered for the control of rotavirus diarrhea.
Wang
Xuan-Yi
XY
International Vaccine Institute, Seoul, South Korea. xywang@ivi.int
Xu
Zhi-Yi
ZY
von Seidlein
Lorenz
L
Zhang
Ying-Lin
YL
Zhao
Shou-Jun
SJ
Hao
Zhi-Yong
ZY
Han
Oak Pil
OP
Kilgore
Paul
P
Xing
Zhan-Chun
ZC
Han
Chang-Quan
CQ
Ma
Jing-Chen
JC
Chen
Ji-Chao
JC
Clemens
John
J
D002675:Child, Preschool; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012400:Rotavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012424:Rural Population; D018571:Sentinel Surveillance