Journal List > Ann Clin Microbiol > v.19(2) > 1078553

Kim, Kim, and Lee: A Clinico-Epidemiological Comparison Study of Pediatric Acute Viral Gastroenteritis at a Tertiary Care Hospital

Abstract

Background

Acute viral gastroenteritis is a common illness in young children. Rotavirus, norovirus and enteric adenovirus are the major agents for viral gastroenteritis. Their detection rates have gradually increased in Korea. Our aim was to monitor the epidemiologic characteristics of the aforementioned viruses and to determine the laboratory and clinical characteristics of pediatric patients infected with these viruses.

Methods

From December 2009 to November 2010, 685 stool specimens from patients hospitalized at Chung-Ang University Hospital were tested for the aforementioned viruses using multiplex PCR. A corresponding medical record review was retrospectively conducted.

Results

The overall prevalence rate was 44.8%, with rates of 16.3%, 1.9%, 22.7%, 3.1%, and 0.8% for rotavirus, norovirus genogroup I, norovirus genogroup II, enteric adenovirus, and astrovirus, respectively. Mixed virus infections were detected in 37 patients (5.4%). The highest incidence rates occurred in March 2010 (18.9%), in the 13–24 month age group (38.1%), and in males (53.1%). Fever and chills were most frequently observed in patients with adenovirus (44.4%) than other viruses, while diarrhea was most frequently observed in patients with rotavirus (93.7%). Leukocytosis (55.0%) and lymphocytosis (21.0%) were more common in the norovirus-infected group than other viruses-infected group.

Conclusion

Our results show different prevalence rates and clinical findings for each gastroenteritis-as-sociated virus. To better understand the clinico-epidemiological features observed in this study, further epidemiologic and clinical investigations are needed.

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Fig. 1.
Prevalence of diarrheal viruses. Distribution of positive cases from December 2009 to November 2010. Numbers in the graph are relative percentages of a certain virus.
acm-19-33f1.tif
Fig. 2.
Distribution of acute gastroenteritis viral agents by age groups.
acm-19-33f2.tif
Fig. 3.
Distribution of acute gastroenteritis viral agents by months.
acm-19-33f3.tif
Table 1.
Comparison of laboratory findings and clinical characteristics for each viral agent
  Rotavirus (n=96) Norovirus (n=153) Adenovirus (n=18)
Leukocytosis* 42 (43.8%) 84 (55.0%) 8 (44.4%)
Thrombocytosis 15 (15.6%) 28 (18.3%) 4 (22.2%)
Neutrophilia 20 (20.8%) 34 (22.2%) 4 (22.2%)
Lymphocytosis* 12 (12.5%) 32 (21.0%) 4 (22.2%)
Elevated CRP 76 (79.1%) 98 (64.0%) 15 (83.3%)
Elevated BUN 32 (33.3%) 53 (34.6%) 2 (11.1%)
Fever 67 (69.8%) 95 (62.0%) 17 (94.4%)
Chill 5 (5.2%) 8 (5.2%) 8 (44.4%)
Headache 1 (1.0%) 0 (0%) 1 (5.5%)
Abdominal pain 25 (26.0%) 31 (20.2%) 8 (44.4%)
Nausea 35 (36.4%) 44 (28.7%) 8 (44.4%)
Vomiting 86 (89.6%) 119 (77.8%) 16 (88.9%)
Diarrhea* 90 (93.7%) 100 (65.4%) 16 (88.9%)
Oliguria 6 (6.2%) 5 (3.3%) 1 (5.5%)

*Difference between rotavirus and norovirus,

Statistically difference (P<0.05) among the three viral agents.

Abbreviations: CRP, C-reactive protein; BUN, blood urea nitrogen.

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