DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2017.v05i02.039

Pages: 503-508

Diarrhoeal diseases are the leading cause of significant morbidity and mortality in children. Rotavirus continues to be the commonest cause of acute gastroenteritis across the world. Currently available rotavirus vaccines are effective in reducing the disease burden, but correct understanding of local epidemiology of rotavirus infection is important for rotavirus immunization. The aim of this study was to estimate the incidence of rotaviral diarrhoea and the prevalent rotavirus genotypes causing diarrhoea among children below 2 years of age.138children below 2years of age admitted to our hospital for acute diarrhoea were enrolled in our study. Stool samples were collected from all patients having watery diarrhoea and sent for rotavirus assay by ELISA. Genotyping was done in all positive cases by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RTPCR). Results of the lab analysis were recorded. Data were entered in the Microsoft Excel work sheet and were analysed using SPSS version17. P value of <0.05 was considered significant. Out of 138 cases of acute diarrhoea 46(33.33%) cases was positive for rotavirus. Incidence of rotaviral diarrhoea was 8.40% of all admissions in children below 2years of age. Rotavirus positivity was significantly higher in children between 6 to 18 months of age.G3P8was the most prevalent strain followed by G1P8.Rotavirus is the most common cause of diarrhoea among children more so in infants. G3P8was the most prevalent genotype in this part of the state followed byG1P8.