title: Rotavirus Infection in Children with Diarrhea at Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Ghana.
abstract: Human rotavirus infection was studied over a 13-month period (January 2004 to January 2005) in children <5 years of age admitted with severe diarrhea at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra, Ghana. During this period, 206 hospitalizations for diarrhea were recorded, with 34.0% (70/206) being positive for rotavirus infection. Infection occurred throughout the year, with peak rotavirus infection occurring during the month of March. Hospitalization associated with rotaviruses was most common in the 6-8 month age group. The case fatality rate of rotavirus infection was 2.9% (2/70) and occurred in children <12 months of age. Four rotavirus VP7 genotypes (G1, G2, G3, and G9) were detected. The predominant genotypes were G2 (22.9%), G1 (17.1%), G9 (17.1%) and G3 (12.9%). Mixed G types were also detected. The predominant VP4 genotypes (P types) were P[6] (38.6%), P[8] (21.4%), P[4] (4.3%) and P[9] (1.4%). The predominant rotavirus strains infecting children in Accra were G9P[6] (10.0%) and G1P[8] (8.6%). Strains with unusual genotypes such as G2P[8] and G(2/3)P[6] were also detected.
authors.affiliation: Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana.
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Damanka
authors.forename: Theophilus K
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Adiku
authors.forename: George E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Armah
authors.forename: Onike
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Rodrigues
authors.forename: Eric S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Donkor
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Nortey
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Asmah
mesh_terms: D036022:Capsid Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000821:virology; D005243:Feces / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000821:virology; D005838:Genotype; D005869:Ghana / Q000453:epidemiology; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D010802:Phylogeny; D015995:Prevalence; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012401:Rotavirus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012400:Rotavirus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000821:virology; D016019:Survival Analysis
chemical_list: D036022:Capsid Proteins; D012367:RNA, Viral