Objective: This study was conducted to determine the hospital
prevalence, clinical severity and treatment outcome of rotavirus versus
non-rotavirus diarrhea in children attending a secondary level children
hospital of Bangladesh. Methods: Total 601 children aged from 1 month
to 5 years with watery diarrhea were enrolled and their stool samples
were analyzed by ELISA for rotavirus antigen. Findings: Total 601
children aged from 1 month to 5 years with watery diarrhea were
enrolled and their stool samples were analyzed by ELISA for rotavirus
antigen. Conclusion: Despite high prevalence of Rotavirus diarrhea in
Bangladesh, majority of this illness can be managed at home and/or in
primary health care centers, since clinical severity and outcome of
rotavirus diarrhea remains similar to that of non-rotavirus diarrhea.
This message is expected to reduce frequent and sometimes un-necessary
referral of diarrhea patients to higher centers thereby saving the
working hours of the attending parents as well as disease burden to
children hospitals having limited beds against the huge demand
