The role of rotavirus associated with pediatric gastroenteritis in a general hospital in Lagos, Nigeria

Abstract

Introduction Bacterial, viral and parasitic agents have been implicated and confirmed as causative agents of gastroenteritis in children with ages below 5 years old. The major role of rotavirus as causative agent is not widely recognized within the public health community, particularly in developing countries. This study examined the role of rotavirus as a causative agent of childhood gastroenteritis in infants and young children below 5 years of age in a General Hospital in Lagos, Nigeria.Methods Parents and caregivers of children admitted to the hospital were interviewed using a structured questionnaire. Viral RNA was extracted from the stool samples collected and analyzed using RT-PCR for genotyping and agarose gel electrophoresis for identification of rotavirus electrophoretypes.Results Out of the 71 samples analyzed, 16 (22.5%) were positive for rotavirus. A total of 12 (75%) males and 4 (25%) females were positive for rotavirus gastroenteritis with most cases (7, 43.8%) distributed to the 13-24 months age group, followed closely by the 1-6 months age group, with 6 cases, 37.5%. Rotavirus G2 genotype was the most prevalent strain in the hospital (10 patients, 62.5%) followed by G1 (6 patients, 37.5%). These were the only rotavirus genotypes detected in the hospital.

Prevalence and risk factors associated with rotavirus diarrhoea in children less than five years in Katsina State, northwestern Nigeria

“…In this study, most of the children positive for rotavirus infection were under two years of age, emphasizing the fact that rotavirus infection occurs early in life. This finding is in consistent with a number of similar studies in Nigeria (Audu et al, 2002;Aminu, 2006;Junaid et al, 2011;Anochie et al, 2013) and most parts of the world (Basu et al, 2003;Kargar et al, 2012;Almusawi et al, 2013;Magzoub et al, 2013;Karakus et al, 2014) where they reported higher prevalence of rotavirus infection mostly in children less than two years old. The highest prevalence of rotavirus infection occurred in the agegroup 7-12 months (7.7%).…”

Rotavirus Genotypes in Abuja, Nigeria

“…A study similar to current research findings, which had G2 as the most predominant G1 genotype, was conducted in Lagos, Nigeria [42][43][44][45][46]. The study reported that G1 was predominant with 62.5% [18]. Previous studies, as evidenced above, showed high G1 in Nigeria even though the rotavirus vaccine is yet to be introduced in the national immunization program [32][33][34][35][36][37][38][39][40][41].…”

Prevalence of rotavirus infection among children under five years at a tertiary institution in Nigeria

“…On the contrary, Bonkoungon et al [40] observed that boys are twice more likely to be hospitalized with rotavirus diarrhea than girls. Also, Anochie et al [41] in Lagos state found that the rotavirus infection in males was three times more than that of females. The higher prevalence of rotavirus infection among females might be due to chance because, at ages below five years, there is little or no difference in lifestyles between the boy and the girl child.…”

“…Diarrhea caused by rotavirus is more severe than that caused by other enteric pathogens, resulting in up to 50% of all hospitalizations due to diarrhea in children under five years [8]. Also, the administration of oral rehydration solution (ORS) is hampered by the accompanying vomiting, thus the propensity for severe dehydration [19,20].The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 2015, characterized the clinical severity of rotavirus diarrhea into subclinical, mild, severe, and fatal [21]. Given the infectivity and burden of rotavirus disease, the World Health Organization has recommended rotavirus vaccines in countries with an under-five mortality rate of more than 10% [22].…”