The burden of Rotavirus gastroenteritis among hospitalized pediatric patients in a tertiary referral hospital in Jeddah

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the burden of Rotavirus gastroenteritis (GE) among pediatric hospital admissions. DESIGN AND SETTINGS: This is a retrospective observational study, in which all pediatric cases admitted to one of the biggest tertiary hospitals in Jeddah, with the diagnosis of GE, in the year 2010, were enrolled. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This is a retrospective observational study in which all pediatric cases admitted with the diagnosis of GE in the year 2010 were enrolled. Clinical data and laboratory findings were compared between Rota positive and Rota negative cases. The data was statistically analyzed. RESULTS: GE cases represented 8.8% of all pediatric hospital admissions in 2010. Almost 43% (42.9%) of these cases proved to have Rotavirus GE. Rotavirus infection alone, adenovirus infection alone, combined Rotavirus and adenovirus infection, and other causes of GE were present in 101 (33.6%), 21 (7%), 28 (9.3%), and 151 (50.2%) patients respectively. Coinfection with adenovirus was higher in Rota-positive GE (RPG; P=.039). Vaccination against Rotavirus was protective against Rotavirus GE (P=.042). CONCLUSIONS: Rotavirus infection is the most important causative organism of GE in our community that accounted for 42.9% of children hospitalized for GE in our study, either alone or with other infections. Among our patients, vaccination against Rotavirus appeared to be protective against Rotavirus GE. In view of the high disease prevalence among children, locally and worldwide, we recommend routine Rotavirus vaccination as the most effective available means of control despite improvement in sanitation and hygiene.