title: Surveillance for rotavirus gastroenteritis in children less than 5 years of age in Togo.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Rotavirus is the most common cause of severe gastroenteritis and dehydration in young children in both industrialized and developing countries. The anticipated introduction of rotavirus vaccine into Togo's national immunization program highlights the need for baseline data on the burden of this disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted sentinel surveillance for rotavirus gastroenteritis among children <5 years of age in Sylvanus Olympio Teaching Hospital of Lome (Togo) from February 2008 through January 2012, based on the World Health Organization's generic protocol. Rotavirus was detected in stool specimens by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. The strain characterization by genotyping was performed at Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research in Accra (Ghana) and at Medunsa campus in Pretoria (South Africa).
  
  
  RESULTS
  803 children with acute gastroenteritis were enrolled and of which 390 (48%) were positive for rotavirus. The difference of age among children with rotavirus and nonrotavirus gastroenteritis was significant (P < 0.010) with rotavirus cases younger than nonrotavirus cases. From December to February, significantly (P < 0.002) more cases of rotavirus gastroenteritis were enrolled compared with other months of the year. Vomiting (P = 0.04) was more common in children with rotavirus than nonrotavirus gastroenteritis. The most common G-P combinations were G3P[6] (23%), G1P[8] (12%), G1P[6/8] (8%), G2P[6] (7%), G12P[6] (7%) and G3/12P[6] (6%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of rotavirus is high among children with acute gastroenteritis in Togo. Continued and extended rotavirus surveillance will be important to monitor changes in the epidemiology of rotavirus disease and the impact of vaccination after introduction.
authors.affiliation: From the *Department of Paediatrics, Sylvanus Olympio Teaching Hospital of Lome, Togo, Africa; ‡Laboratory Department, Sylvanus Olympio Teaching Hospital of Lome, Togo; †MRC Diarrheal Pathogens Research Unit, University of Limpopo (Medunsa campus), Pretoria, South Africa; §Focal point of EPI in WHO/Togo; ¶Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Legon, Accra, Ghana; and ‖World Health Organization, Regional Office for Africa, Brazzaville, Congo.
authors.forename: Enyonam
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tsolenyanu
authors.forename: Mapaseka
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Seheri
authors.forename: Anoumou
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dagnra
authors.forename: Edem
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Djadou
authors.forename: Segla
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tigossou
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nyaga
authors.forename: Edotse
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Adjeoda
authors.forename: Georges
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Armah
authors.forename: Jason M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Mwenda
authors.forename: Yawo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Atakouma
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D005243:Feces / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D012401:Rotavirus / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012400:Rotavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D018571:Sentinel Surveillance; D014037:Togo / Q000453:epidemiology