Affiliations: Department of Pediatrics, Institute of Child and
Mother Health, Matuail, Dhaka, Bangladesh | Department of Pediatrics, Apollo Hospital, Bashundhara
Residential Area, Dhaka, Bangladesh | Department of Nutrition, Institute of Child and Mother
Health, Dhaka, Bangladesh | Department of Pathology, Dhaka Medical College
Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Note: [] Correspondence: Dr. Selim Ahmed, Institute of Child and Mother
Health, Matuail, Dhaka-1362, Bangladesh. Tel.: +880 1714 100 575; +880 1711 545
037; Fax: +880 2 7542672; E-mail: [email protected]
Abstract: Rotavirus (RV) is the single most important causative agent for
severe dehydrating childhood diarrhea worldwide. RV diarrhea is a tremendous
social and economic burden upon the people in developing countries. In
Bangladesh, the proportion of RV diarrhea in children is increasing compared to
other infectious diarrheal agents primarily because of improvements in water
sanitation. This hospital-based cross sectional study was carried out in a
children's hospital of Bangladesh to highlight the clinical presentations and
seasonal predilection of RV diarrhea. A total of 601 children under the age of
5 years presenting with acute watery diarrhea were enrolled, with collected
stools tested for presence or absence of RV antigen by enzyme linked
immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Forty-two percent of the samples were ELISA
positive for RV antigen; 72% of those RV+ children were under 12 months of
age and 92% were under 24 months. Nausea, vomiting and large families (⩾ 5
members) showed significant association with RV+ diarrhea compared to RV-
diarrhea (P=0.004, 0.001 and P=00.006 respectively). In RV+ diarrhea, the
purging rate was also significantly higher (P=0.043). Mild to moderate fever
and dehydration were noted in 82% and 84% cases of RV+ diarrhea respectively.
RV+ diarrhea peaked during winter months (January through March). The
vulnerable age group, seasonality and clinical presentations of childhood RV
diarrhea observed in our study are expected to assist the Bangladeshi health
care professionals confidently dealing with this health problem; even if there
is little or no laboratory support.
