Journal of Tropical Pediatrics Advance Access published online on September 30, 2009
Journal of Tropical Pediatrics, doi:10.1093/tropej/fmp091
Prevalence of Rotavirus in Acute Diarrhea and its Association with Clinical Signs and Symptoms
aDepartment of Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of Sao Paulo, Brazil, bCenter of Primary Attention, Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Brazil, cSpecializing Physicians of the Federal University of Triângulo Mineiro, Uberaba City, Brazil and dDiscipline of Microbiology, Federal University of Triângulo Mineiro, Brazil
Correspondence: Prof. Altacílio Nunes, Departamento de Medicina Social – (FMPR-USP), Hospital das Clínicas, Av. Bandeirantes, 3900 – Monte Alegre, CEP: 14048–900 Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil. E-mail: <altacilio{at}fmrp.usp.br>.
Abstract
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Rotaviruses are the main etiological agents of acute infectious diarrhea in children. Thus, the objective of this study is to contribute to the information about the rotavirus variants circulating in Brazil. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 124 fecal samples collected from children up to the age of 5 years, with acute gastroenteritis. Thirty-one samples were positive for rotavirus A. Regarding the G genotyping, 16 (80%) were classified as G1 and regarding P genotyping all strains were classified as P[8]. The determination of the prevalence of rotavirus infection and the characterization of the viral strains circulating are expected to contribute to the information we have about the molecular biology and epidemiology of disease.
Key Words: Rotavirus diarrhea children vaccine symptoms