BackgroundRotavirus is the leading cause of severe diarrhea in young children and infants worldwide, representing a heavy public health burden. Limited information is available regarding the impact of rotavirus gastroenteritis on the quality of life of affected children and their families.The objectives of study were to estimate the impact of rotavirus infection on health-related quality of life (HRQL), to assess the social and emotional effects on the families of affected children.MethodsThis study enrolled all (n = 527) RotaStrip®-positive (with further PCR detection) cases (0–18 years of age) hospitalized from April 2013 to December 2015 and their caregivers. A questionnaire comprising clinical (filled-in by the medical staff) and social (filled by the caregivers) sections was completed per child.ResultsMain indicators of emotional burden reported by caregivers were compassion (reported as severe/very severe by 91.1% of parents), worry (85.2%), stress/anxiety (68.0%). Regarding social burden, 79.3% of caregivers reported the need to introduce changes into their daily routine due to rotavirus infection of their child. Regarding economic burden, 55.1% of parents needed to take days off work because of their child’s sickness, and 76.1% of parents reported additional expenditures in the family’s budget.Objective measures of their child’s health status were not associated with HRQL of the family, as were the parent’s subjective evaluation of their child’s health and some sociodemographic factors. Parents were significantly more worried if their child was tearful (p = 0.006) or irritable (p < 0.001). Parents were more stressful/anxious if their child had a fever (p = 0.003), was tearful (p < 0.001), or was irritable (p < 0.001). Changes in parents’ daily routines were more often reported if the child had a fever (p = 0.02) or insufficient fluid intake (p = 0.04).ConclusionObjective health status of the child did not influence the emotional, social or economic burden, whereas the parents’ subjective perception of the child’s health status and sociodemographic characteristics, were influential.A better understanding of how acute episodes affect the child and family, will help to ease parental fears and advise parents on the characteristics of rotavirus infection and the optimal care of an infected child.
Rotavirus is a non-enveloped double-stranded RNA virus that causes severe gastroenteritis in children, but complications are rarely reported. Some reports have shown that rotavirus can induce diverse complications of the central nervous system, such as seizures, encephalopathy with a reversible splenial lesion, encephalitis, cerebral white matter abnormalities, and cerebellitis. Here, we present a 2-year-old patient with seizures, who had an isolated splenial lesion in the corpus callosum on neuroimaging, and the rotavirus antigen detected in faeces.
In developed and developing countries, most cases of acute gastroenteritis in children are caused by viruses, and rotaviruses are known as the leading cause. The aim of our study was to estimate the main circulating serotypes of rotavirus before the introduction of routine immunisation in Latvia, and to search for their possible correlation with clinical symptoms and circulating genotypes. A cross-sectional study was carried out among children who had been hospitalised in the Children’s Clinical University Hospital from April 2013 to December 2015. Genotyping was done for 462 stool samples. Among G/P combinations, the most predominant genotypes were G4P[8] (61.3%), G9P[8] (12.4%) and G2P[4] (10.0%) in children of age < 5 years, G4P[8] (45.5%), G2P[4] (18.2%), G9P[8], G3P[8], and G1P[8] (9.1%) in children of age > 5 years. There was a statistically significant correlation (p < 0.05) between clinical signs (vomiting, dehydration, chronic diseases) and G1P[8] and G8P[8] genotypes. Infants infected with genotype G4P[4] had a statistically significant negative correlation with severity of acute gastroenteritis episodes (p < 0.05). We detected nine different rotavirus G genotypes, and two different P genotypes. G4P[8], G9P[8], and G2P[8] were predominant. We observed correlation between the dominant genotypes and clinical manifestations of rotavirus infection.
Background The incidence of rotaviral gastroenteritis (RVGE) has significantly increased in last 10 years in Latvia. Aims To assess the impact of family on RVGE. Methods The study enrolled children (1–23 month of age) hospitalised in University Children’s Hospital within time period of June 2013 – February 2014 if the child has rotavirus positive stool sample. The clinical severity of illness was rated using a clinical scoring system. Parents were interviewed and clinical examination of the child was done. Results Mean age of 91 enrolled patients was 12.54 (SD 5.74) months. 91.6% of children did not attend kindergarten. There is a tendency (although statistically insignificant, p > 0.05) for breastfed children to have shorter hospitalisation time as well as to have milder clinical severity degree (see Table below). Abstract PO-0227 Table 1 Mean duration (days) of treatment in hospital (SD), median Number of children with moderate dehidratation in the first three days of disease Breastfed children (n = 32) 4.31 (SD 2.64), 3.00 n = 5 (38.9%) Not breastfed (n = 59) 4.66 (SD 2.37), 4.00 n = 7 (33.3%) While 73.6% of parents had heard about rotaviral vaccination before, only 1 child was vaccinated against it. 65.9% of parents agreed that children should be vaccinated against rotavirus. Conclusions There should be higher access to information about RVGE and vaccination against it. Breastfeeding till age of 2 years may facilitate severity of RVGE. Part of the study “Clinical peculiarities of rotaviral infection, molecular epidemiology and health associated life quality for hospitalised children and their family members”, financially supported by Riga Stradins University.
Oral rehydration fluids (ORS) are used to reverse dehydration that, in case of children, mostly is due to acute gastroenteritis. The key of successful dehydration treatment is to replenish the lost water and electrolytes. This is best done by consuming oral rehydration solution, containing both salt and sugar. ORS enhances fluid absorption because sodium and glucose transport in the small intestine are coupled, and glucose promotes absorption of both sodium ions and water. Studies show that children refuse ORS due to its salty-sweet taste and unpalatability. To improve oral rehydration therapy, we hypothesized that freezing ORS containing a fruit/berry juice to a likeable texture in “gelato” form could promote oral rehydration. The results provide a basis for further development of the ORS gelato with attention to flavor, sweetness and texture.
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