Rotavirus infection among Sudanese children younger than 5 years of age: a cross sectional hospital-based study.
BACKGROUND
In Sudan, rotavirus has been one of the important causative agents of diarrhea among children. Rotavirus A is well known as the leading cause of diarrhea in young children worldwide. It was estimated to account for 41% of hospitalized cases of acute gastroenteritis among children in Sub-Saharan Africa. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and the common clinical presentations of rotavirus A infection among Sudanese children with gastroenteritis seeking management in hospitals.


METHODS
755 Sudanese children less than 5 years of age suffering from acute gastroenteritis in hospital settings were included. The positive stool specimens for rotavirus A was used for extract Ribonucleic acid (RNA) and the RNA product was loaded on formaldehyde agarose gel and visualized under UV illumination.


RESULTS
Of the 755 children, 430(57%) were males while 325(43%) were female. The age of children ranged from 1 to 60 months. There were 631 (84%) children who were less than 24 months of age. Out of the 755 stool samples, 121(16%) were positive for rotavirus. Of the 121 infected children with rotavirus, 79(65.3%) were male and 42(34.7%) were female and the highest infection rate was seen among 91(75.2%) of children up to 12 months of age. Children of illiterate parents were more infected with rotavirus than children of educated parents. Severe dehydration present among 70% of infected children with rotavirus.


CONCLUSIONS
Since this study is hospital-based, the 16% prevalence rate may not reflect the true prevalence among Sudanese children, thus a community-based surveillance is needed.
National Public Health Laboratory, Ministry of Health, P.O.BOX 287, Khartoum, Sudan.
Magzoub Abbas
MA
Magzoub
Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Khartoum University P.O. Box 11081, Khartoum, Sudan.
Naser Eldin
NE
Bilal
Pediatric Department, college of Medicine, Qassim University, P.O. Box 6699 Buraydah 51452, Saudi Arabia.
Jalal Ali
JA
Bilal
Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Khartoum University P.O. Box 11081, Khartoum, Sudan.
Omran Fadl
OF
Osman
D000208:Acute Disease; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000453:epidemiology; D006761:Hospitals / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D012400:Rotavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013397:Sudan / Q000453:epidemiology
Sudan; acute gastroenteritis; children; diarrhoea; rotavirus