Background: A prospective study was performed during three years with 76 children hospitalized with the diagnose of rotaviral gastroenteritis. The aim of our study were to evaluate the clinical features of the rotaviral gastroenteritis, the excretion time of rotavirus in stools and the nosocomial rotavirus infection.
Methods: The detection of the rotaviral antigen in stool was performed using a rapid test based on latex aglutination (Rotalex). For the determination of the excretion time of rotavirus in stools the test was performed daily in 69 children until the results was negative. Furthermore, a clinical study of the patients was carried out.
Results: In 39 cases (51.3%) the gastroenteritis was acquired in the community and 37 cases (48.7%) were nosocomially acquired. The most frequent clinical presentation was an acute diarrhea (96%) with vomiting (63.2%) and fever (63.2%). Only three patients did not have diarrhea. The mean duration of diarrhea was between 3-4 days with a highest duration of 10 days. Most of the patients (58%) had an excretion time of rotaviral antigen lower or equal than 3 days, with an extreme value of 14 days.
Conclusions: In our study rotaviral infection occurred mainly in the cooler winter months and in children younger than 6 months of age. A high nosocomial infection level (48.7%) was detected. Vomiting often preceded the onset of diarrhea and fever. The excretion time of rotaviral antigen was independent of the clinical course.