Rotavirus infections among HIV-infected children in Nairobi, Kenya.
Human rotaviruses have emerged as a leading cause of acute diarrhea in children <5 years of age worldwide. Although there are previous reports relating to various aspects of rotaviruses, there is limited data on the involvement of rotavirus infection in HIV-infected children. We therefore evaluated the importance of rotavirus infections in HIV-related diarrhea in Kenyan children. Fecal samples were collected from a total of 207 children during the period February 1999 to June 2000 and screened for HRV antigen by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Positive samples were analyzed by VP6 subgroup specificity assay, by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) and reverse transcriptase/polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Fourteen percent (29/207) of the samples were positive. HIV-seropositive children with diarrhea were more likely than their counterparts without diarrhea to have rotaviruses [23.3% (10/43) versus 2.9% (2/70); p = 0.0001]. Rotavirus strain G3P[6] was predominant. These results indicate that rotavirus is an important viral etiological agent causing diarrhea in HIV-seropositive children.
Kiulia
Nicholas M
NM
Enteric Viruses Research Group, Institute of Primate Research, Karen, Nairobi, Kenya. jmmathiu@yahoo.co.uk
Nyaundi
Julia K
JK
Peenze
Ina
I
Nyachieo
Atunga
A
Musoke
Rachel N
RN
Steele
Andrew D
AD
Mwenda
Jason M
JM
D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000821:virology*; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005243:Feces / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000821:virology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007630:Kenya / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010865:Pilot Projects; D015995:Prevalence; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012401:Rotavirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012400:Rotavirus Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology
D012367:RNA, Viral