All issues > Volume 31(8); 1988

Original Article

J Korean Pediatr Soc. 1988;31(8):961-967. Published online August 31, 1988.

A Clinical and Epidemiological study on Rotavirus Gastroenteritis in Children.

Hye Kyung Chang¹, Chang Yeol Kim¹, Sung Hee Oh¹, Ha ik Lee¹, Kun Soo Lee¹

¹Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea

Received: June 20, 1988;  Accepted: June 20, 1988.

Abstract

We investigated the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of rotavirus gastroenteritis in children. The study included 1697 children with acute diarrhea who admitted to the Department of Pediatrics in Hanyang University Hospital from March 1983 through February 1987. The stool specimens were cultured to isolate Campylobacter, Shigella and salmonella and tested for rotavirus by ELISA. The results were 1) Rotavirus was isolated in 646 cases (38.1%) out of total 1697 patients. 2) Seasonal distribution of rotavirus infections were 95 cases (14.7%) in spring, 50 cases (7.7%) in summer, 430 cases (66.6%) in autumn and 71 cases (11.0%) in winter. 3) Rotavirus gastroenteritis outbreak occurred during cooler and less humid fall nonths than warmer and more humid summer months with the peak in November. 4) Age distribution of patients with rotavirus infections were 57 cases (8.8%) below 6 months of age, 382 cases (59.1%) between 6 to 12 months of age, 183 cases (28.3%) between 13 to 24 months of age, 21 cases (3.3%) between 25 to 36 months of age and 3 cases (0.5%) over 36 months of age.

Keywords :Rotavirus gastroenteritis