title: A retrospective analysis of acute gastroenteritis agents in children admitted to a university hospital pediatric emergency unit.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Acute gastroenteritis is responsible observed in all age groups, especially infants and children. The etiology and clinical course of acute gastroenteritis may vary with age and etiological agents. In developing countries, the morbidity and mortality associated with infectious diarrhea is higher in children younger than five-years-of-age.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and seasonal distribution of the major agents of acute gastroenteritis in children who were admitted to a Turkish university hospital pediatric emergency unit during 2009.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seasonal distribution within a one year period and quantitative distribution were analyzed with demographic data and laboratory findings. A total of 644 subjects were enrolled in the study, with a mean age of 4.14 years. Pathogens were detected in 183 (28.4%) stool samples in children less than 16 years, admitted with acute gastroenteritis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Pathogens were detected in 184 (28.4%) stool samples. The age distributions of the cases were 0 - 24 months (n = 59), 2 - 5 years (n = 100), and > 5 years (n = 25). The detection rate of rotavirus, norovirus and adenovirus were; 12.7% (75/588), 9.8% (51/520) and 4.9% (28/575), respectively. Bacterial agents were detected in 36 cases. The main agent was norovirus in the 0 - 24 months group (n = 25, 42.4%), and rotavirus for ages 2 - 5 years (n = 43, 43%) and > 5 years. On the monthly distribution, cases of rotavirus were found to be more frequent in the first four months of the year.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Viruses were the major pathogens in all age groups. Norovirus was the leading pathogen in the first two years. For the age groups 2 - 5 years and 6 - 16 years, rotavirus was the major pathogen.
authors.affiliation: Department of Child Health and Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Yeditepe University, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Suat
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bicer
authors.affiliation: Department of Child Health and Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Yeditepe University, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Defne
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Col
authors.affiliation: Department of Child Health and Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Yeditepe University, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Gulay Ciler
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Erdag
authors.affiliation: Department of Child Health and Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Yeditepe University, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Tuba
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Giray
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Yeditepe University, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Yesim
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gurol
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Yeditepe University, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Gulden
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Yilmaz
authors.affiliation: Department of Child Health and Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Yeditepe University, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ayca
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vitrinel
authors.affiliation: Department of Child Health and Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Yeditepe University, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Berna
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ozelgun
keywords: Acute gastroenteritis; Child; Immunochromatography; Norovirus; Rotavirus