title: Epidemiology and strain characterization of rotavirus diarrhea in Malaysia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objectives of the study were to describe the epidemiology and strain characterization of rotavirus (RV), to determine the proportion of hospitalizations for diarrhea attributable to RV among children under 5 years of age, and to estimate the disease burden of RV diarrhea in Malaysia.
  
  
  METHODS
  All children 0-59 months of age admitted for acute gastroenteritis to Kuala Lumpur Hospital (KLH) or Hospital Umum Sarawak (HUS) were surveyed. The periods of surveillance were from February 1, 2001 to April 30, 2003 in KLH and April 1, 2001 to March 31, 2003 for HUS.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The highest rate of RV-associated diarrhea was among children aged 6-17 months, accounting for 55% of RV-associated diarrhea. There was no seasonality observed in either hospital. P[8]G9 strains were predominant, accounting for 73% of all strains in both hospitals, 80% from KLH and 61% from HUS. There was no mortality.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  RV was responsible for 38% of hospitalizations for diarrhea. It was most common in the 6-17 months age group. There was no seasonality observed for RV-associated diarrhea. The most prevalent strain of RV was P[8]G9. The estimated incidence of RV-associated diarrhea was 27 per 10000 population under the age of 5 years per year.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Paediatrics, Kuala Lumpur Hospital, 50586 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. lchung@hkl.gov.my
authors.forename: L C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Hung
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: L G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rosli
authors.forename: A N A
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Bresee
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006786:Hospitals, Urban; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008296:Malaysia / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012401:Rotavirus / Q000145:classification*; D012400:Rotavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012621:Seasons