1. Rotavirus and not age determines gastroenteritis severity in children: a hospital-based study.
- Author
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Albano F, Bruzzese E, Bella A, Cascio A, Titone L, Arista S, Izzi G, Virdis R, Pecco P, Principi N, Fontana M, and Guarino A
- Subjects
- Age Distribution, Child, Preschool, Female, Gastroenteritis classification, Humans, Infant, Infant, Newborn, Italy, Length of Stay, Male, Rotavirus classification, Rotavirus isolation & purification, Severity of Illness Index, Gastroenteritis virology, Rotavirus pathogenicity, Rotavirus Infections classification
- Abstract
Background: The severity of childhood gastroenteritis is generally believed to be age-related rather than aetiology-related. Rotavirus-induced gastroenteritis is more severe than gastroenteritis caused by other enteric pathogens and is also age-related. We thus addressed the question of whether the increased severity of rotavirus-induced gastroenteritis is related to age or to features intrinsic to the agent., Study Design: In this multicentre, hospital-based, prospective survey, we evaluated the severity of diarrhoea in rotavirus-positive and rotavirus-negative children up to 4 years of age. Severity was assessed with a score in four groups of age-matched children., Results: Rotavirus was detected in 381 of 911 children. Disease severity was evaluated in 589 cases for which clinical data were complete. The rotavirus-positive and rotavirus-negative groups differed with regards to diarrhoea duration, hospital stay, degree of dehydration and the number of episodes of vomiting. Gastroenteritis was more severe in rotavirus-positive than in rotavirus-negative children. In contrast, none of the main severity parameters differed in the four age groups, irrespective of the presence of rotavirus., Conclusions: These data provide the evidence that aetiology and not age determines diarrhoeal severity. The demonstration that diarrhoea was more severe in rotavirus-positive children supports the need for a rotavirus vaccine and for studies that address the duration of vaccine protection.
- Published
- 2007
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