title: Multicenter prospective study on the burden of rotavirus gastroenteritis in Turkey, 2005-2006: a hospital-based study.
abstract: Rotavirus is the main cause of gastroenteritis and dehydration requiring hospitalization among infants and children. Despite the high diarrhea-related mortality rate, there are limited studies describing the prevalence of rotavirus in Turkey. The disease burden of rotavirus gastroenteritis in Turkey was assessed by active, prospective surveillance conducted in accordance with a modified World Health Organization generic protocol from 1 June 2005 through 1 June 2006. A total of 411 children aged <5 years who were hospitalized for gastroenteritis in 4 centers were enrolled. Rotavirus was identified in 53% of samples from the 338 children tested; the range for individual centers was 32.4%-67.4%. Overall, 83.8% of rotavirus-positive children were aged <2 years. Rotavirus gastroenteritis occurred year-round but peaked in the winter. G1P[8] was the most widely prevalent strain (76% of strains), followed by G2P[4] (12.8%). G9P[8] was reported in samples from 3.9% of children. These data support the need for a rotavirus vaccine in Turkey.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey. mceyhan@hacettepe.edu.tr
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ceyhan
authors.forename: Emre
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Alhan
authors.forename: Nuran
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Salman
authors.forename: Zafer
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Kurugol
authors.forename: Inci
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Yildirim
authors.forename: Umit
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Celik
authors.forename: Melike
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Keser
authors.forename: Guldane
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Koturoglu
authors.forename: Hasan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tezer
authors.forename: Emine Kuset
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Bulbul
authors.forename: Metin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Karabocuoglu
authors.forename: Oya
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Halicioglu
authors.forename: Sameh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Anis
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pawinski
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D017281:Cost of Illness; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012400:Rotavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012621:Seasons; D013997:Time Factors; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology