title: Epidemiology of rotavirus infection among young children with acute diarrhoea in Burkina Faso.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In anticipation of vaccine introduction, we assessed epidemiology of rotavirus disease among children visiting medical centre due to acute diarrhoea in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between November 2008 and February 2010, stool specimens from 447 children less than 5 years of age suffering from diarrhoea were tested for the presence of rotavirus by antigen detection using an immunochromatographic test. Sociodemographic, environmental and clinical factors were assessed during the study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Rotavirus antigen was detected in 151 (33.8%) of the patients. Most of the cases (94.2%) were in children < 24 months of age. Fever and vomiting were the symptoms most commonly reported in association with rotavirus diarrhoea and the patients were often hospitalized. Rotavirus-associated diarrhoea occurred mostly during the season from December to April (dry season). Rotavirus infection was significantly less frequent in breast-fed than among bottle-fed babies.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this study underscore the need to control rotavirus infections among young children in Burkina Faso and may argue a decision on the introduction of rotavirus vaccine in Burkina Faso.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Biochimie et Biologie Moléculaire, CRSBAN/UFR-SVT, Université de Ouagadougou, 03 BP 7021, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. ouindgueta@gmail.com
authors.forename: Isidore J O
authors.initials: IJ
authors.lastname: Bonkoungou
authors.forename: Idrissa
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sanou
authors.forename: Fabienne
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bon
authors.forename: Benoit
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Benon
authors.forename: Sheick O
authors.initials: SO
authors.lastname: Coulibaly
authors.forename: Kaisa
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Haukka
authors.forename: Alfred S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Traoré
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Barro
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000367:Age Factors; D002050:Burkina Faso / Q000453:epidemiology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000821:virology*; D005243:Feces / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D005334:Fever / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D012400:Rotavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000821:virology; D012621:Seasons; D014839:Vomiting / Q000503:physiopathology