Rotavirus and Adenovirus Frequency in Children with Acute Gastroenteritis

Introduction: The most common causes of acute gastroenteritis in children are rotavirus and adenovirus, and laboratory tests are required to make a definitive diagnosis. We aimed to evaluate retrospectively the frequency of rotavirus and adenovirus, detected by immunochromotographic method, in children with acute gastroenteritis referred to our hospital. Materials and Methods: Between January 2013 and September 2014, 3189 children (aged 0-18) with acute gastroenteritis were included into the study. In faecal samples, rotavirus and adenovirus were tested with a qualitative immunochromotographic test (Abon Biopharm Rota/Adeno, China). Patient records were retrospectively analyzed. Chi-square test was used for statistical analysis and the difference was accepted statistically significant when p< 0.05. Results: Viral antigens were determined in 706 (22.1%) of the stool samples. Rotavirus was identified in 17.5%, adenovirus in 3.3%, rotavirus and adenovirus together in 1.3%. There was no statistically significant difference in the frequency of detection of rotavirus and adenovirus among genders (p> 0.05). Rotavirus was most frequently seen between 7-24 months (22%) of ages and between 25 months-4 years (21.2%) of ages (p 0.05). Adenovirus was detected most frequently between 25 months-4 years (4.6%) of ages and lowest among 11 17 years (0.1%) of ages (p= 0.007 and p= 0.0006, respectively). Rotavirus was detected most frequently in spring (25.5%), winter (25.2%), and autumn (23.5%) seasons and the least (5.9%) in summer season (p< 0.005). Conclusion: In conclusion, rotavirus and adenovirus should be routinely investigated in children between 7 months and 4 years, especially in acute gastroenteritis between november and april. Identification of viral agents in children with acute gastroenteritis will help to prevent unnecessary antibiotic administration to provide effective treatment, to prevent heavy dehydration of children and to plan vaccination procedures. Mothers should also be encouraged to breast-feed their babies until they are two years old, as they may have protective effects against viral gastroenteriti