INCIDENCE, CLINICAL-FEATURES AND EPIDEMIOLOGY OF ROTAVIRUS GASTROENTERITIS IN HOSPITALIZED CHILDREN

Two hundred and eighteen patients with acute gastro-enteritis (GE) and 67 controls (patients admitted during the period of study for illness other than GE) were included in this study. Their stool samples were subjected to the following tests to detect the presence of rotavirus: enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), latex agglutination and electron microscopy. Samples positive by any one or more of the above methods were considered positive for rotavirus and were subjected to polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of viral RNA. Rotavirus was detected in 59 (27.1%) of the 218 GE samples and four (6%) of the control samples. ELISA was the most sensitive test and could detect viral antigen long after the other methods failed to do so.