Clinical Characteristics and Risk Factors for Seizures Associated With Norovirus Gastroenteritis in Childhood

Abstract

Norovirus has become increasingly recognized as causing viral gastroenteritis in children. Few data are available on the characteristics of children admitted to pediatric emergency departments with norovirus gastroenteritis and accompanying seizures. Our aim in this study was to describe the clinical features of, and risk factors for, seizures accompanying norovirus gastroenteritis. We collected 6359 stool samples from patients with gastroenteritis, of whom 1444 (22.71%) had laboratory-confirmed norovirus gastroenteritis. Of all patients, 108 (7.48%) children exhibited norovirus gastroenteritis and seizures; 49 (45.4%) were febrile, and 59 (54.6%) afebrile. The mean patient age was 2.31 ± 2.12 years; most were <5 years of age (92.6%). The afebrile group had a significantly higher incidence of 2 or more seizures than the febrile subjects ( P = .004). Early recognition and prompt treatment of convulsions associated with norovirus gastroenteritis in children are important. Future studies might explore the long-term prognoses of these patients.

Convulsions with Noroviral Gastroenteritis in Children at a Single Center in Korea

“…Regarding seasonal distributions, CwG were prevalent in the winter months, between November and March, in this study area (Fig. 1), which is consistent with the incidence of norovirus infection in previous reports from other countries [19][20][21]24,29) .…”

“…We defined seizures lasting >10 minutes as PSE. In previous studies, most patients exhibited GT, atonic, tonic, and partial focal seizures with secondary generalization [22][23][24] . Our patients showed GTC, GT, or focal motor seizures.…”

“…Kim et al 19) reported the common pathogens of viral gastroenteritis to include norovirus (63.0% of cases) and rotavirus (8.7%), followed by enteric adenovirus (8.7%), and astrovirus (2.8% of cases). This tendency seems to be a global phenomenon since the introduction of rotavirus vaccination 16,18,22,24) . In Japan, Ueda et al reported the causative agents of viral gastroenteritis to be novovirus in 54.2% of cases, followed by rotavirus (27.0%), and adenovirus (1.0%)5).…”

Сучасні Аспекти Гострих Кишкових Інфекцій Вірусної Етіології У Дітей

“…Распространенность других вирусных патогенов изучена мало, а клиническая картина охарактеризована недостаточно [5]. Одним из сравнительно новых возбудителей ОКИ вирусной этиологии являются норовирусы [6][7][8]. Их распространенность при спорадической заболеваемости составляет 10-15 % от всех случаев ОКИ [7,8].…”

“…Одним из сравнительно новых возбудителей ОКИ вирусной этиологии являются норовирусы [6][7][8]. Их распространенность при спорадической заболеваемости составляет 10-15 % от всех случаев ОКИ [7,8]. Изучение этиологической структуры и клинико-эпидемиологических аспектов вирусных диарей имеет большое практическое значение для мероприятий, направленных на их мониторинг, лечение и профилактику.…”