title: Epidemiology of rotavirus diarrhea and diversity of rotavirus strains among children less than 5 years of age with acute gastroenteritis in Mauritius: June 2008 to December 2010.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Rotavirus is an important etiologic agent of diarrhea worldwide and ongoing surveillance is essential to monitor strain diversity. To describe the epidemiology of rotavirus disease and circulating rotavirus strains in Mauritius, surveillance for rotavirus diarrhea was conducted at 2 regional hospitals from June 2008 through December 2010.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 787 fecal samples from children <5 years of age admitted to the pediatric ward with acute gastroenteritis was collected within 48 hours of hospitalization and analyzed for group A rotavirus. A subset of rotavirus-positive samples was subjected to polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and VP4 and VP7 genotyping.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Rotavirus was detected in 327 (41.6%) stools. Highest prevalence of rotavirus infection occurred in children <2 years of age, predominately between 12 and 23 months. Three seasonal peaks were observed during the study period: July to October 2008, October to December 2009 and July to October 2010. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis of 116 positive samples yielded only long electropherotypes. The predominant circulating strain was G3P[8] (89%) from June through December 2008, G4P[8] (76%) from January through December 2009 and G1P[8] (90%) from January through December 2010.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The diversity of rotavirus strains detected in this study highlights the need for continuous surveillance and data generated can be used to advocate for rotavirus vaccine introduction.
authors.affiliation: From the *Central Health Laboratory, Victoria Hospital, Candos, Mauritius; †Ministry of Health & Quality of Life, Port Louis, Mauritius; ‡Regional Rotavirus Reference Laboratory, MRC/Medunsa Diarrheal Pathogens Research Unit, University of Limpopo, Pretoria, South Africa; and §World Health Organization, Regional Office for Africa (WHO/AFRO), Brazzaville, Republic of Congo.
authors.forename: Vidula Nalini
authors.initials: VN
authors.lastname: Pursem
authors.forename: Bhye Mohammud Cassam
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Peeroo
authors.forename: Taj Ignace
authors.initials: TI
authors.lastname: Mangar
authors.forename: Fazal Mohammad Abdul Latiff
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Sohawon
authors.forename: L Mapaseka
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Seheri
authors.forename: M Jeffrey
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Mphahlele
authors.forename: Jason M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Mwenda
authors.forename: Shyam Shunker
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Manraj
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D005243:Feces / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology*; D005838:Genotype; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008436:Mauritius / Q000453:epidemiology; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012401:Rotavirus / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012400:Rotavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology*; D012621:Seasons