Rotavirus as an important cause of diarrhoea in a hospital for children in Dammam, Saudi Arabia

Abstract

A major cause of morbidity and mortality among children in developing countries is acute diarrhoea and rotavirus, a reovirus-like agent, is found to be a leading causative agent. We report here the incidence of rotavirus infection among infants and young children with gastro-enteritis treated at the Children's Hospital in Dammam, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. One hundred and fifty children, aged between 1 and 60 months, suffering from diarrhoeal illness, were selected as the study cohort; another 150 hospitalized children of the same age group, but not suffering from diarrhoea, served as controls. Sixty-two per cent of the study children complained of watery diarrhoea and 39% of vomiting; all had mild to moderate dehydration. Seventy-two per cent had fever and 30% associated respiratory illness. Worst affected were those 7-12 months old, among whom rotavirus was detected by ELISA techniques in 39.6%, compared with 7.5% of the control children of comparable age group. We could not detect any rotavirus from control children aged over 36 months, whereas approximately 15% of the study children in this age group yielded rotavirus from the stool. The second most common pathogen isolated was Shigella ssp. It was isolated from 18.7% of children under study as against 3% of the controls.

Early child health in Lahore, Pakistan: VIII. Microbiology

“…However, the isolation rate in our study is comparable with the rates reported from some other countries like Hong Kong, Egypt and Bangladesh (38,40,41). There is a difference in the incidence of bacterial and viral diarrhoea around the world (38,39); Rota virus is the major cause of diarrhoea in the industrialized countries, whereas bacterial pathogens are less frequent (35,36). The reverse pattern has been found in several developing countries (37,42).…”

“…Rota virus was identified as the second most commonly occurring pathogen, with an overall frequency of 20%. This rate is less than the figures found in developed countries (35,36), and also in some other developing countries, where an isolation rate of 30-47% has been reported (23,(37)(38)(39). However, the isolation rate in our study is comparable with the rates reported from some other countries like Hong Kong, Egypt and Bangladesh (38,40,41).…”

“…This rate is less than the figures found in developed countries (35,36), and also in some other developing countries, where an isolation rate of 30-47% has been reported (23,(37)(38)(39). However, the isolation rate in our study is comparable with the rates reported from some other countries like Hong Kong, Egypt and Bangladesh (38,40,41). There is a difference in the incidence of bacterial and viral diarrhoea around the world (38,39); Rota virus is the major cause of diarrhoea in the industrialized countries, whereas bacterial pathogens are less frequent (35,36).…”

Rotavirus infection in Saudi Arabia

“…The prevalence of rotavirus infection was addressed by 19 articles. 20 – 24 , 26 – 36 , 42 , 49 – 50 In addition, 5 articles studied the molecular characterisation of the virus. 21 , 22 , 30 , 37 , 51 Furthermore, one study compared viral gastroenteritis at large medical centres in Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom.…”

Characterization of human rotavirus subgroups and serotypes in children under five with acute gastroenteritis in a Saudi Hospital

“…The prevalence of rotavirus infection has been reported in some regions of Saudi Arabia[16–25] [Table 1]. El-Sheikh et al [16] assessed the prevalence of viral, bacterial and parasitic pathogens in children in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.…”