Hospital-based surveillance for rotavirus diarrhea in children in Yangon, Myanmar

Diarrhea is a common childhood illness in Myanmar, and rotavirus is the single most important etiological agent of diarrhea. Surveillance for rotavirus diarrhea in children <5 years of age was conducted in a tertiary pediatric hospital in Yangon, Myanmar, from January 2002 through December 2003. Stool specimens obtained from children admitted to the hospital for acute diarrhea were tested for the presence of rotavirus by use of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Diarrhea was the cause of 5671 (18%) of all hospitalizations of children <5 years of age during the 2-year study period (n = 30,869). Rotavirus was identified in 923 (53%) of the 1736 stool specimens tested, and rotavirus infection was associated with approximately 10% of all hospitalizations of children. Rotavirus diarrhea most frequently occurred in children 6-17 months of age, and it was more commonly identified in boys (62% of children with rotavirus diarrhea were boys). The seasonal pattern of rotavirus disease mimicked that of diarrheal illness due to all causes, with the peak season for rotavirus disease occurring from November through February (i.e., during the cool, dry season). During the study period, 53 of the children who were hospitalized for diarrhea died. The present study confirms the importance of the etiological role that rotavirus plays in childhood diarrhea.     

福州地区腹泻患者诺瓦克样病毒感染的分子流行病学特点

目的调查研究福州地区腹泻患者诺瓦克样病毒感染的分子流行病学特点。方法分别应用酶联免疫吸附试验(ELISA)和逆转录一聚合酶链反应(RT-PCR)，对1998年10月至2002年11月在我院门诊及住院部收集的288份腹泻患者粪便标本进行轮状病毒和诺瓦克样病毒病原检测。结果ELISA法检测轮状病毒感染的阳性率为54．2％，发病年龄主要是1月-3岁的婴幼儿，发病季节集中在冬春季，高峰为11和12月份。RT-PCR检测显示诺瓦克样病毒基因组Ⅰ的阳性率为11．1％，主要是7岁以上儿童及成人；诺瓦克样病毒基因组Ⅱ的阳性率为28．8％，主要是6月～3岁婴幼儿；诺瓦克样病毒感染均无明显季节特异性。结论在福州地区诺瓦克样病毒是仅次于轮状病毒的又一常见腹泻病原，其中婴幼儿腹泻以诺瓦克样病毒基因组Ⅱ为主。研究结果从分子水平初步揭示了本地区诺瓦克样病毒感染的流行情况。     

Changing RNA patterns in rotaviruses of human origin: demonstration of a single dominant pattern at the start of an epidemic and various patterns thereafter

The RNA of strains of rotavirus obtained from patients hospitalized with diarrhea during two winter epidemics of rotaviral infection in successive years (November 1981 through April 1982 and December 1982 through April 1983) was analyzed by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. A single dominant electropherotype was found during the first two or three months of each epidemic. In contrast, various electropherotypes were identified during the latter portion of each epidemic. RNA patterns of the rotaviral strains that were dominant during the early phase of the two epidemics were different from each other.     

The Tecumseh study. XII. Enteric agents in the community, 1976-1981

Enteric illnesses in residents of Tecumseh, Michigan, were studied from 1976 to 1981. The frequency of illness among adults and children increased each year in the late autumn, usually in November. This peak of illness preceded the main period of appearance of the rotaviruses, which were less regularly associated with another peak of illness. Rotaviruses were identified in 3.8% of all stool specimens collected; in specimens from children under two years of age, the annual rate of rotavirus identification was 10.4%. All rotaviruses were identified during the period from late December to early April. Bacterial pathogens were isolated from 3.3% of stool specimens, with no concentration in any age group or season. However, most enteric illnesses in the community were not associated with recognized pathogens. Testing of blood specimens collected in 1976-1978 by complement fixation confirmed the seasonal pattern of rotavirus activity. Rotavirus infections were documented in all age groups, even in older adults, and were associated with symptomatic illness.     

成人腹泻病人轮状病毒感染监测及分组分型研究

目的研究武汉市成人腹泻病人轮状病毒的感染状况及A组轮状病毒基因型的分布。方法收集2001—2002年度武汉市成人腹泻大便标本728份,用聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳进行轮状病毒检测,逆转录—聚合酶链反应进行A组轮状病毒基因型研究。结果和结论2001—2002年度武汉市成人腹泻病人A、B组轮状病毒检出率分别为7.83%和0.27%。A组轮状病毒以G3P[8]型为主。成人A组轮状病毒流行的季节和基因型别与婴幼儿的一致。     

Importance of Cholera and Other Etiologies of Acute Diarrhea in Post-Earthquake Port-au-Prince,Haiti

We estimated the proportion of diarrhea attributable to cholera and other pathogens during the rainy and dry seasons in patients seen in two urban health settings: a cholera treatment center (CTC) and oral rehydration points (ORPs). During April 1, 2011–November 30, 2012, stool samples were collected from 1,206 of 10,845 patients who came to the GHESKIO CTC or to the community ORPs with acute diarrhea, cultured for Vibrio cholerae, and tested by multiplex polymerase reaction. Vibrio cholerae was isolated from 409 (41.8%, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 38.7–44.9%) of the 979 specimens from the CTC and in 45 (19.8%, 95% CI = 14.8–25.6%) of the 227 specimens from the ORPs. Frequencies varied from 21.4% (95% CI = 16.6–26.7%) during the dry season to 46.8% (95% CI = 42.9–50.7%) in the rainy season. Shigella, enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli, rotavirus, and Cryptosporidium were frequent causes of diarrhea in children less than five years of age.     

A comprehensive survey of pediatric diarrhea at a private hospital in Metro Manila.

The epidemiology of diarrhea among Filipino pediatric patients, representing a cross-section of socioeconomic strata, was investigated over a one year period. Rotavirus was detected in 33.9% of the diarrhea stools examined and was the leading cause of diarrhea in the study population. Although proportionately more rotavirus was found during the cold season, most children became infected with rotavirus during the rainy season, when diarrheal disease was at its peak in Metropolitan Manila. Enteric adenovirus types 40 or 41 were associated with only 5.4% of the diarrhea cases. Overall, one or more etiologic agents of diarrhea were detected in 67.2% of the stools examined. Many of these positive stools (21.6%) contained multiple diarrheogenic agents. Bacterial enteric pathogens were isolated from 32.3% of the cases. Nearly 70% of these patients with bacterial gastroenteritis became ill during the rainy season. Etiology specific and general risk factors associated with diarrheal illness in the study population are discussed.     

南京地区2011-2012年度门诊婴幼儿轮状病毒腹泻的分子流行病学研究

目的 了解南京地区门诊婴幼儿轮状病毒腹泻的分子流行病学特征及轮状病毒的G/P分型状况。方法 2011年7月至2012年6月对门诊腹泻患儿标本进行轮状病毒胶体金检测,阳性标本通过巢式反转录聚合酶连反应进行G/P分型,同时测序得出亚型。 结果 在2 081例腹泻标本中共检出胶体金阳性标本165例,阳性率为7.9%。轮状病毒感染的高峰季节在10月到次年2月之间, 94%的感染患儿都在2岁以下,其中13～24月龄为高发年龄段。轮状病毒分型结果表明G1, G3, G9为主要G分型,而P\[8\]则是最常见的P分型。常见的G／P组合为：G1P\[8\](16.4%), G3P\[8\](13.9%), G9P\[8\](24.8%)。进一步VP7和VP4基因测序比对后发现G1和G3毒株各分属于一个亚型G1 Ic,G3 Ia,而G9毒株大部分属于G9 IV亚型,同时也有一小部分毒株属于G9 III亚型,P\[8\]型毒株主要为P\[8\] II亚型,少数为P\[8\] IV亚型。 结论 研究结果表明G9P\[8\]是最主要的流行型别,同时G1P\[8\]和G3P\[8\]也占较大比例。     

Laboratory-Confirmed Cholera and Rotavirus among Patients with Acute Diarrhea in Four Hospitals in Haiti, 2012–2013

An outbreak of cholera began in Haiti in October of 2010. To understand the progression of epidemic cholera in Haiti, in April of 2012, we initiated laboratory-enhanced surveillance for diarrheal disease in four Haitian hospitals in three departments. At each site, we sampled up to 10 hospitalized patients each week with acute watery diarrhea. We tested 1,616 specimens collected from April 2, 2012 to March 28, 2013; 1,030 (63.7%) specimens yielded Vibrio cholerae, 13 (0.8%) specimens yielded Shigella, 6 (0.4%) specimens yielded Salmonella, and 63 (3.9%) specimens tested positive for rotavirus. Additionally, 13.5% of children < 5 years old tested positive for rotavirus. Of 1,030 V. cholerae isolates, 1,020 (99.0%) isolates were serotype Ogawa, 9 (0.9%) isolates were serotype Inaba, and 1 isolate was non-toxigenic V. cholerae O139. During 1 year of surveillance, toxigenic cholera continued to be the main cause of acute diarrhea in hospitalized patients, and rotavirus was an important cause of diarrhea-related hospitalizations in children.     

An outbreak of gastroenteritis associated with acute rotaviral infection in schoolchildren

In April 1988 a large outbreak of group C rotavirus infection associated with acute gastroenteritis occurred among schoolchildren and their teachers simultaneously at seven elementary schools in Fukui city, Japan. Of 3,102, 675 (21.8%) became ill. Clinical symptoms were mild, predominantly abdominal pain and vomiting, with diarrhea reported in only 27.6%. The outbreak subsided within 2 d. No pathogenic bacteria were found in fecal specimens; the virus particles detected by electron microscopy were morphologically indistinguishable from conventional infantile rotavirus. Immune electron microscopy showed that these virions formed large aggregates with convalescent serum and with the reference serum specific to group C rotavirus. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis showed similar RNA patterns for virus from this outbreak and typical group C rotavirus.     

Epidemiological profile of rotavirus infection in the Republic of Korea: results from prospective surveillance in the Jeongeub District, 1 July 2002 through 30 June 2004

To facilitate future decisions regarding the usefulness of rotavirus vaccines in the Republic of Korea, active surveillance was conducted in a network of clinics, emergency departments, and hospitals serving Jeongeub District, Korea. Children with diarrhea underwent standard clinical evaluations, and stool specimens were collected to test for the presence of rotavirus. Parents were interviewed to collect demographic and family information. From 1 July 2002 through 30 June 2004, a total of 4106 children, representing 1 (50%) of every 2 children <5 years old in the study population, were evaluated for rotavirus diarrhea. Of the 2232 stool specimens obtained throughout the year, 460 (20.6%) were rotavirus positive; however, the monthly prevalence of rotavirus infection peaked at 49.5% in February 2004. Of the 460 rotavirus-positive stool specimens, 366 were obtained from children who visited outpatient clinics, and 94 were obtained from children who were hospitalized. By extrapolating the proportion of rotavirus-positive patients to all children with diarrhea in the surveillance system, we calculate that 882 children in Jeongeub District had rotavirus infection (which would predict that there would be 702 associated clinic visits and 180 hospitalizations). Genotyping of rotavirus strains showed that 39% of strains were type G9P[8], 24% were type G1P[8], 17% were type G3P[8], and 13% were type G2P[4]. The incidence of rotavirus diarrhea peaked at age 13-24 months, and 94% of cases occurred during the first 3 years of life. The annual incidence of all rotavirus disease-associated outcomes was 56.9 cases/1000 children <5 years old (95% confidence interval [CI], 51.9-62.2 cases/1000 children <5 years old). The incidence of rotavirus disease-associated hospitalizations was 11.6 cases/1000 children <5 years old (95% CI, 9.5-14.2 cases/1000 children <5 years old). In Korea, diarrhea is common during childhood, and the incidence of diarrhea due to rotavirus infection suggests that improved programs for the prevention and control of both rotavirus diarrhea and diarrhea due to other causes are needed.     

婴幼儿轮状病毒无症状感染的研究

目的     

Protective effect of WC3 vaccine against rotavirus diarrhea in infants during a predominantly serotype 1 rotavirus season

We used a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial to study the efficacy of WC3 rotavirus vaccine administered to 104 infants (ages, three to 12 months) before the rotavirus season. Forty-nine infants received vaccine; 55 received placebo. Rotavirus disease during this season was predominantly caused by a serotype 1 strain. In placebo recipients there were 14 cases of rotavirus diarrhea (attack rate, 25%); 11 were moderate to severe (attack rate, 20%). Vaccinees experienced only three cases of rotavirus disease (attack rate, 6.1%), all mild. When all cases (whether associated with rotavirus or not) of clinically significant diarrhea (CSD) were evaluated, WC3 vaccine provided statistically significant (P less than .01) protection against the total number of episodes of CSD and reduced the number of days of CSD-associated diarrhea, vomiting, fever, or illness. Seventy-one percent of the WC3-vaccinated infants had serum antibody responses to the vaccine. The 14 placebo recipients who experienced natural disease predominantly had antibody responses to serotype 1. Sera taken after the rotavirus season revealed a nearly identical rate (40%) of natural rotavirus infection in the vaccinated and placebo groups.     

Molecular epidemiology of rotavirus in children attending day care centers in Houston

Serotype distribution of group A rotavirus in children attending day care centers has not been previously reported. Fifteen centers in Houston participated in longitudinal monitoring of rotavirus infection during one to three consecutive rotavirus seasons. Monitoring included daily recording of the presence of diarrhea and weekly stool collection. Stool specimens containing rotavirus were analyzed by a monoclonal antibody (MAb)-based ELISA specific for the VP7 protein of serotypes 1, 2, 3, and 4 and by gel electrophoresis. A total of 318 children had 362 rotavirus episodes; 149 could be serotyped. Serotype distribution of this population was similar to that of children hospitalized for diarrhea in a large pediatric hospital in Houston during the same period. Symptomatic infections were predominantly due to serotype 1 rotaviruses in season 2 and serotype 3 rotaviruses in season 3. Episodes recurred in 43 children; 2 children had second symptomatic infections of the same serotype as the first. Electrophoretic differences among rotaviruses of a same serotype were common and more frequent among serotype 1 than serotype 3 viruses.     

Severe diarrhea due to rotavirus infection in a Belgian hospital 1981-2002

Rotavirus infections are a major cause of severe diarrhea in children younger than 2 years. In Belgium they cause many hospitalizations because of dehydration. A study of the laboratory diagnosis of rotavirus infections in 28.251 stool samples at a university teaching hospital in Belgium during a twenty-year period (1981-2002) showed a marked seasonality. The virus was most often diagnosed during the winter months: 54% of the rotavirus isolates were found in the first three months of the year, with 21% of the positive samples occurring in February. Recently, rotaviruses can be genotyped based on differences in the viral outer capsid protein VP7. Vaccines are currently being developed against the four most prevalent genotypes G1, G2, G3 and G4. During the last three epidemic seasons (1999-2002) in Belgium, G1 was the most prevalent genotype and accounted for 62% of the rotavirus isolates recovered. G2, G3 and G4 were also isolated, and other emerging types need to be carefully monitored too, since G9 (45%) was co-dominant with G1 (42%) in the 2000-2001 rotavirus season in Belgium. The future development of an efficient rotavirus vaccine will need to take the diversity of the rotavirus genotypes into account.     

Identification of a Ruminant Origin Group B Rotavirus Associated with Diarrhea Outbreaks in Foals

Equine rotavirus group A (ERVA) is one of the most common causes of foal diarrhea. Starting in February 2021, there was an increase in the frequency of severe watery to hemorrhagic diarrhea cases in neonatal foals in Central Kentucky. Diagnostic investigation of fecal samples failed to detect evidence of diarrhea-causing pathogens including ERVA. Based on Illumina-based metagenomic sequencing, we identified a novel equine rotavirus group B (ERVB) in fecal specimens from the affected foals in the absence of any other known enteric pathogens. Interestingly, the protein sequence of all 11 segments had greater than 96% identity with group B rotaviruses previously found in ruminants. Furthermore, phylogenetic analysis demonstrated clustering of the ERVB with group B rotaviruses of caprine and bovine strains from the USA. Subsequent analysis of 33 foal diarrheic samples by RT-qPCR identified 23 rotavirus B-positive cases (69.69%). These observations suggest that the ERVB originated from ruminants and was associated with outbreaks of neonatal foal diarrhea in the 2021 foaling season in Kentucky. Emergence of the ruminant-like group B rotavirus in foals clearly warrants further investigation due to the significant impact of the disease in neonatal foals and its economic impact on the equine industry.     

Prevalence of rotavirus diarrhea among outpatients and hospitalized patients: a comparison

The prevalence of rotavirus diarrhea was compared in two settings, among children attending outpatient clinics and those hospitalized (inpatients) at Pune, India. A total of 489 and 628 fecal specimens were collected during October 1993 to September 1996 from outpatients and inpatients respectively. Overall occurrence of rotavirus diarrhea was more among hospitalized children. Using the stratification on the variable age, it is shown that age is indeed a confounding variable. The important finding of the study was, in < or = 6 months age group, it was observed that the occurrence of rotavirus diarrhea was more in the outpatients (30.26%) than among the inpatients (10.11%). Children of this age group are likely to be partially protected by maternal antibodies. The effect of seasonality and sex distribution did not differ in the two settings. It was found that G2 serotype was the major cause of diarrhea among the outpatients.     

Serotypes and electropherotypes of group A human rotaviruses in patients with acute gastroenteritis in Saitama area, 1988-1991]

Serotypes and RNA electropherotypes of group A human rotaviruses were identified in stool samples from patients with acute gastroenteritis in Kasukabe Kosei Hospital, Saitama, Japan, during three rotavirus seasons from 1988 to 1991. Of the 665 stool samples from patients with acute gastroenteritis, 169 (25.4%) stool samples were positive for group A human rotaviruses. Of these 169 samples, 98 (58.0%) were serotype 1, 7 (4.1%) serotype 2, 14 (8.3%) serotype 3, 3 (1.8%) serotype 4 and 47 (27.8%) were untypable. Serotype 1 was predominant over all three rotavirus seasons. Serotype 2 was most prevalent in the second rotavirus season, serotype 3 in the third season. Serotype 4 was detected only the second rotavirus season. The ratio of subtype I to subtype II was 4.5:95.5. Among the 162 strains examined, 139 specimens were available to be electropherotyped. Fifteen different RNA electropherotypes were detected. Three to four different electropherotypes were more prevalent in each rotavirus season and the detection rate in each year was different within the same electropherotypes. The rotavirus strains of the same electropherotypes were observed with high prevalence for every rotavirus seasons. The same electropherotypes was found in human rotavirus strains of different serotypes that were appeared at different epidemic seasons.     

Incidence of severe rotavirus diarrhea in New Delhi, India, and G and P types of the infecting rotavirus strains

A total of 62,475 children <5 years old from a defined population of approximately 500,000 children and adults from slums in New Delhi, India, were assessed for 1 year by means of passive surveillance, to identify children who were hospitalized for diarrhea. The incidence of severe rotavirus diarrhea was estimated, and the G and P types of the infecting rotavirus strains were determined and were correlated with the clinical severity of diarrhea. Of 584 children who were hospitalized with diarrhea, 137 (23.5%) had rotavirus detected in stool specimens (incidence of rotavirus diarrhea-associated hospitalizations, 337 hospitalizations/100,000 children <5 years of age). Most cases of diarrhea (98%) occurred during the first 2 years of life, peaking at 9-11 months of age. Rotavirus-associated diarrhea occurred year-round but was predominant in winter. Among the strains that could be G-typed, G1 was the most common serotype, followed by G9 and G2; 10% of cases of diarrhea were due to mixed G-type infections. Common strains identified in the present surveillance study were P[8]G1, P[4]G2, P[8]G9, P[6]G1, P[6]G9, and P[6]G3. Children infected with G1 strains had a greater risk of developing more-severe cases of diarrhea than did children infected with other rotavirus strains (odds ratio, 2.95; 95% confidence interval, 1.3-6.67).     

2011年北京地区婴幼儿病毒性腹泻病原学研究

目的了解北京地区婴幼儿病毒性腹泻的病原学特点。方法采集2011年1月-12月5岁以下腹泻患儿的粪便标本并填写个案调查表,用ELISA试剂盒检测A组轮状病毒,采用逆转录-聚合酶链反应（RT-PCR）检测人杯状病毒和星状病毒,采用PCR检测腺病毒。结果 604例粪便标本中,A组轮状病毒检出率15.89%,人杯状病毒检出率18.71%,星状病毒检出率2.98%,腺病毒检出率4.80%,病毒混合感染27例。11月份轮状病毒检出率最高,10月份人杯状病毒检出率最高。结论 A组轮状病毒和人杯状病毒为北京地区秋冬季婴幼儿腹泻的主要病原。