Paediatric gastroenteritis in the eastern Malaysian state of Sarawak: an epidemiological and clinical study

Abstract

Over a period of 2 months, 35 of 69 (51%) cases of juvenile diarrhoea studied in eastern Malaysia were associated with rotavirus excretion; rotavirus associated diarrhoea occurred most commonly in the 6-24 month age group. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) of genome ribonucleic acid showed that only 4 rotavirus electropherotypes could be detected. Of those, 2 predominated and 2 were detected only once each; one of these may have been a reassortment of the two predominant electropherotypes. Analysis of the clinical features of patients excreting rotavirus subgroup 1 or 2, determined by PAGE, demonstrated that rotavirus subgroup 1 was associated with more hypotonic dehydration and need for intravenous therapy: lethargy was significantly more common among those excreting rotavirus subgroup 2.

Estimates of economic burden of providing inpatient care in childhood rotavirus gastroenteritis from Malaysia

“…Only 10 publications dealt with acute GE directly in Malaysia. Of these, some were observations from a single institution, 6,20–22 or covered only certain aspects of diarrhoeal illness 7,17,23,24 25 .…”

“…The estimated cost incurred for all Malaysian children hospitalised for rotavirus GE is US$1.8 million (range US$0.6 million−7.5 million) a year. The total cost will even be more substantial if cost of outpatient care, non‐medical cost, such as out‐of‐pocket expenses paid by households that are not related to medical care, and societal cost are included 22 . Moderate to severe episodes of rotavirus GE also result in significant societal and household costs because of loss of work time, as parents are forced to stay home from work to care for sick children 32 …”