title: The coincidence of necrotizing enterocolitis and rotavirus infections and potential associations with cytokines.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is the most common gastrointestinal disease in neonatal intensive care units. Although the pathogenesis of NEC remains unclear, evidence suggests that infections, especially bacterial infections, may play an important role. Viral infections may also result in NEC. Several outbreaks of NEC associated with rotaviruses have been described previously.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the association between rotavirus (RV) and serum interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-8 levels in infants with NEC.
  
  
  METHODS
  RV infections were prospectively studied using antigen detection in the stools of 31 infants with NEC. Additionally, serum levels of IL-6, IL-8 and tumour necrosis factor-alpha were tested using micro-ELISA at 0 h and 48 h after diagnosis of NEC.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fecal specimens from 13 infants were positive, while fecal specimens from 18 infants were negative for RV according to antigen detection (RV+ and RV- groups, respectively). The mortality rate and the severity of NEC were not significantly different between the RV+ and RV- groups. IL-6 levels at 0 h and 48 h after diagnosis of NEC in RV+ infants were lower compared with RV- infants, while IL-8 levels were greater at 0 h and 48 h after diagnosis of NEC in RV+ infants compared with RV- infants.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A high prevalence of RV infection in neonates with NEC was found. Decreased IL-6 levels and increased IL-8 and tumour necrosis factor-alpha levels in RV+ neonates with NEC suggests a role for RV in NEC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Çukurova University, Adana, Turkey;
authors.forename: Efsun
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sızmaz
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Satar
authors.forename: Ferda
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ozlü
authors.forename: Akgün
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yaman
authors.forename: Hacer Yapıcıoğlu
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Yıldızdaş
authors.forename: Kenan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ozcan
keywords: Cytokines; Necrotizing enterocolitis; Rotavirus