title: Epidemiological aspects of rotavirus infection in Ahwaz, Iran.
abstract: Rotavirus is the major cause of diarrhoea in children worldwide. In this study, conducted in the city of Ahwaz, Iran, during November 2001-March 2002, stool samples from 200 inpatient (n=63) and outpatient (n=137) children aged 1-24 month(s) were analyzed. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis was used for isolating rotavirus. Rotavirus was isolated from 36 (26.3%) of the 137 stool samples of outpatients and from 23 (36.5%) of the 63 stool samples of inpatients. The overall frequency of rotavirus in this population was 29.5%. The highest detection of rotavirus was made in children aged 7-12 months, which demonstrated that the relationship between age and rate of rotaviral infection was statistically significant (p < 0.05). The predominant electrophoretic pattern detected was the long (L) electrophoretype (46 of 59; 78%), followed by the short (S) electrophoretype (12 of 59; 20.3%). One strain had a mixed pattern. Such analysis throughout Iran would assist in developing sound guidelines for the prevention of rotavirus infections.
authors.affiliation: Department of Virology, Ahwaz University of Medical Sciences, Ahwaz, Iran.
authors.forename: Alireza
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Samarbafzadeh
authors.forename: Elham Mazaheri
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Tehrani
authors.forename: Manouchehr
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Makvandi
authors.forename: Mahnaz
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Taremi
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003968:Diarrhea, Infantile / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D004587:Electrophoresis, Agar Gel; D005243:Feces / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D011634:Public Health; D012401:Rotavirus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012400:Rotavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control