Factors associated with diarrhoea in young children and incidence of symptomatic rotavirus infection in rural West Bengal, India

Socio-behavioural factors and pathogens associated with childhood diarrhoea are of global public health concern. Our survey in 696 children aged 42 years in rural West Bengal detected rotavirus as sole pathogen in 8% (17/199) of diarrhoeic stool specimens. Other organisms were detected along with rotavirus in 11% of faecal specimens. A third of the children with rotavirus diarrhoea, according to Vesikari score, had severe illness. The top four rotavirus genotypes were G9P[4] (28%), G1P[8] (19%), G2P[4] (14%) and G8P[4] (8%). In the multivariate model, the practice of 'drawing drinking water by dipping a pot in the storage vessel' [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 2 21, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.03-4.74, P=0.041], and 'children aged 46 months with non-exclusive breastfeeding' (aOR 2 07, 95% CI 1.1-3.82, P=0.024) had twice the odds of having diarrhoea. Incidence of rotavirus diarrhoea was 24/100 child-years in children aged >6-18 months, 19/100 child-years in children aged >18-24 months and 5/100 child-years in those aged 46 months. Results have translational implications for future interventions including vaccine development.