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| Year : 1986 | Volume
: 32
| Issue : 2 | Page : 87-8 |
Role of rota-virus in acute gastroenteritis in young children--a preliminary report.
Mathur MM, Chadda NN, Bhave GG
How to cite this article:
Mathur M M, Chadda N N, Bhave G G. Role of rota-virus in acute gastroenteritis in young children--a preliminary report. J Postgrad Med 1986;32:87 |
How to cite this URL:
Mathur M M, Chadda N N, Bhave G G. Role of rota-virus in acute gastroenteritis in young children--a preliminary report. J Postgrad Med [serial online] 1986 [cited 2023 Mar 25];32:87. Available from: https://www.jpgmonline.com/text.asp?1986/32/2/87/5360 |
Non-bacterial gastroenteritis is a syndrome that affects a broad segment of the population throughout the world. Several studies have proved that causative agents could be established only in about 30% of cases[3] and it leads to the suggestion that the virus may be the aetiological agent. Rota virus has been reported as the commonest cause of acute non-bacterial diarrhoeal illness.[1] Therefore this study was undertaken to find out the incidence of Rota virus in acute diarrhoea cases.
In the present study, a total of 60 faecal samples from 40 acute gastroenteritis cases and 20 non-diarrhoeal controls respectively were processed. Their ages varied from 1-8 years. Faecal samples were collected prior to antimicrobial therapy.
The faeces specimens were processed according to the manual provided with the kit of reagents (Rotalex kit from Orion Diagnostica, Helsinki, Finland). The positive and negative controls were run with each test.
Stool samples were diluted 1: 10 with Rotalex buffer (provided with the Rotalex kit) and mixed well with a vortex mixer and allowed the sample suspension to stand for about 30 minutes at room temperature. The suspension was centrifuged for 30 minutes at 3000 revolution per minute. Then two drops of 30 µL from supernatant of the above suspension were put separately on the microscopic slide. Then a drop of Rotalex reagent was put on one of the sample drops and Rotalex control latex reagent onto the other. Each drop of faecal samples was stirred carefully using separate wooden sticks for each drop. Then the slide was tilted back and forth and was observed against dark background for eventual development of the agglutination which in positive case appeared within two minutes.
The result was considered negative if no agglutination could be detected in the sample drop containing Rotalex reagent within two minutes. The result was considered positive if agglutination could be detected in the sample drop containing Rotalex reagent. If agglutinstion was observed in the drop containing Rotalex control latex reagent, the sample was not included in the study.
Out of the 40 faecal samples from acute gastroenteritis cases, 8 were positive for rota virus antigen accounting for 20% of total diarrhoea cases. Twenty faecal samples from non-diarrhoeal controls were all negative for rota virus antigen indicating that there are no false positive results.
In recent years rota virus has been recognised as one of the most important causes of childhood diarrhoea. The epidemiology of rota virus diarrhoea has been studied extensively in developed countries in the temperate zones, but there are only a few studies from developing countries in tropical zones. In a study in Bangalore, rota virus alone in faecal samples was detected by ELISA accounting for 16.3% of diarrhoea cases[2] In an electron microscopic study from Calicut in Southern India, rota virus has been detected from 70.7% of children with acute diarrhoea, admitted to the hospital.4 In another study at Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, Rota virus was isolated in 26% cases of acute gastroenteritis in infants and young children.[5] In our study, we have found rota virus in 20% cases of acute gastroenteritis. It is concluded that rota virus is a significant aetiological agent of acute gastroenteritis in young children. Since rota virus diarrhoea is a self limiting disease, appreciation of its aetiological role should avoid unnecessary treatment with antibiotics and consequently its hazards. Greater emphasis should be given in rehydration therapy in the management of this condition.
We are thankful to Dr. G.B. Parulkar, Dean, Seth G. S. Medical College and K.E.M. Hospital, Bombay-12, for his kind permission to publish this paper and to the K.E.M. Hospital and Seth G. S. Medical College Research Society for the financial assistance.
| 1. | Banatvala, J.E.: The role of viruses in acute diarrhoeal diseases. Clin. Gastroenerol. 8: 569-598, 1979.  |
| 2. | Bhat, P., Macaden, R., Unnikrishnan, P and Rao, H.G.V.: Rota virus and bacterial enteropathogens in acute diarrhoeas of young children in Bangalore. Ind. J. Med. Res., 82: 105-109, 1985. |
| 3. | Leading article: Aetiology of enteritis in children. Med. J. Aust., 1 (1976) 75. Quoted by Paniker, C.K.J., Mathew Sara, Dharmarajan, R., Mathan, M.M. and Mathan, V.I.: Ephidemic gastroenteritis in children associated with rota virus infection. Ind. J. Med. Res., 66525-529, 1977. |
| 4. | Paniker, C.K.J., Mathew, S. and Ma. than, M.: Rota virus and acute diarrhoeal disease in children in a Southern Indian coastal town. Bull. W.H.O., 60: 123-127, 1982. |
| 5. | Maiya, P. P., Pereira, S.M., Mathan M., Bhat, P., Albert, M.J. and Baker. S.J.: Aetiology of acute gastroenteritis in infancy and early childhood in Southern India. Arch. Dis. Child., 52: 482. 485, 1977. |
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