title: Surveillance of rotavirus gastro-enteritis in children in Blantyre, Malawi.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Rotavirus is a leading cause of acute gastro-enteritis in infants and young children worldwide. Previous studies of rotavirus gastro-enteritis in Malawi have documented a high disease burden with an extensive diversity of circulating rotavirus strains.
  
  
  METHODS
  In anticipation of the introduction of national rotavirus vaccination, a 2-year surveillance study was undertaken in 2008 and 2009 of children in Blantyre seeking hospital care for acute gastro-enteritis. Rotavirus was detected in faecal specimens by ELISA. Rotavirus G and P types were determined by RT-PCR.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Rotavirus, which circulated throughout the year, was detected in 220/720 (31%) children. Over 85% of patients with rotavirus gastro-enteritis were <1 year of age. A total of 13 rotavirus G/P types were identified, the most common strains being G1P[8] (39·5%), G12P[6] (23·2%), G2P[4] (9·5%), G9P[8] (6·8%) and G8P[4] (6·4%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The data confirm the importance of rotavirus infection in young Malawian children and highlight the continuing diversity of circulating rotavirus strains in Blantyre. Together with previous observations, the findings contribute to a baseline of data against which the impact of future rotavirus vaccination in Malawi can be assessed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Infection, Microbiology & Immunology, Institute of Infection & Global Health, University of Liverpool, UK.
authors.forename: Ann
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Turner
authors.forename: Bagrey
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ngwira
authors.forename: Desiree
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Witte
authors.forename: Mphatso
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mwapasa
authors.forename: Winifred
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Dove
authors.forename: Nigel
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Cunliffe
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005243:Feces / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology*; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008295:Malawi / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D017720:Molecular Epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012401:Rotavirus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012400:Rotavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral