title: Rotavirus gastroenteritis among children aged under 5 years in Al Karak, Jordan.
abstract: The introduction of a rotavirus vaccine makes it important to determine the need for vaccination n a population. This study in Jordan in 2007-08 determined the incidence and clinical features of rotavirus gastroenteritis among children aged under 5 years admitted to hospital with diarrhoea. Of 148 children, 59 (39.9%) were ELISA-positive for rotavirus in stool samples, predominantly in the age group < 2 years. There was a marginally higher rate of fever in the rotavirus cases than the non-rotavirus cases. The lowest rate of infection was in winter. No deaths were recorded among the rotavirus or non-rotavirus groups. Rotavirus vaccine was not in use in Jordan at the time of the study.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, College of Medicine, Mutah University, Karak, Jordon. onafi2000@yahoo.com
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Nafi
mesh_terms: D017677:Age Distribution; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000821:virology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005243:Feces / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000821:virology; D006769:Hospitals, General; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007597:Jordan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012400:Rotavirus Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D012621:Seasons; D018571:Sentinel Surveillance; D014611:Vaccination