Rotavirus Gastroenteritis in Children: A Clinical Study of 125 Patients in Hsin-Tien Area

兒童輪狀病毒腸胃炎：新店地區125例之臨床觀察

陳惠珍(Huei-Jen Chen) ； 陳柏松(Bor-Song Chen) ； 王束方(Su-Fang Wang) ； 黎文豪(Man-Ho Lai)

《Acta Paediatrica Sinica》 32卷2期 (1991/04) Pp. 73-78

摘要

During a 2-year period from January 1988 to December 1989, 125 patients (68 boys, 57 girls), aged 30 days to 9 years, were diagnosed as rotavirus gastroenteritis at this hospital. Diagnosis was made by identification of the rotavirus antigen in stool samples by latex agglutination assay. Ninety-nine (79.2%) of them were under 2 years of age. The seasonal peak in incidence was from January to March. The most common clinical characteristics were watery diarrhea (100%), followed by vomiting (68.8%), fever (68.0%), cough (42.4%), rhinorrhea (17.6%), convulsions (6.4%) and moderate to severe dehydration (1.6%). Fecal occult blood was positive in 4 patients and fecal leukocytes were positive in one patient. Stool cultures revealed concomitant infections with enteropathogenic Escherichia coli in 4 patients. Of the 106 patients who underwent serum electrolyte examinations, serum sodium concentrations ranged from 135-145 meq/L in 81.9% (86/106) and serum potassium concentrations ranged from 3.5-5.0 meq/L in 86.8% (92/106). Leukocyte counts ＞15,000/mm^3 were found in 10.8% (13/120) of the patients. All 125 patients recovered from the diarrheal illness on follow-up. Our results showed a different seasonal distribution of this disease from that of a previous observation between 1983-1984 in Taipei City and provides original clincial information on rotavirus gastroenteritis in children living in an area of Taipei County. Using the simple and rapid latex agglutination assay, we can make early diagnosis of rotavirus gastroenteritis. Thus, early treatment and early isolation of patients to prevent nosocomial infection among hospitalized patients is possible.

並列摘要

During a 2-year period from January 1988 to December 1989, 125 patients (68 boys, 57 girls), aged 30 days to 9 years, were diagnosed as rotavirus gastroenteritis at this hospital. Diagnosis was made by identification of the rotavirus antigen in stool samples by latex agglutination assay. Ninety-nine (79.2%) of them were under 2 years of age. The seasonal peak in incidence was from January to March. The most common clinical characteristics were watery diarrhea (100%), followed by vomiting (68.8%), fever (68.0%), cough (42.4%), rhinorrhea (17.6%), convulsions (6.4%) and moderate to severe dehydration (1.6%). Fecal occult blood was positive in 4 patients and fecal leukocytes were positive in one patient. Stool cultures revealed concomitant infections with enteropathogenic Escherichia coli in 4 patients. Of the 106 patients who underwent serum electrolyte examinations, serum sodium concentrations ranged from 135-145 meq/L in 81.9% (86/106) and serum potassium concentrations ranged from 3.5-5.0 meq/L in 86.8% (92/106). Leukocyte counts ＞15,000/mm^3 were found in 10.8% (13/120) of the patients. All 125 patients recovered from the diarrheal illness on follow-up. Our results showed a different seasonal distribution of this disease from that of a previous observation between 1983-1984 in Taipei City and provides original clincial information on rotavirus gastroenteritis in children living in an area of Taipei County. Using the simple and rapid latex agglutination assay, we can make early diagnosis of rotavirus gastroenteritis. Thus, early treatment and early isolation of patients to prevent nosocomial infection among hospitalized patients is possible.

並列關鍵字

rotavirus ； gastroenteritis ； latex agglutination assay