Human Rotavirus Infection in Malaysia. I. A Hospital-Based Study of Rotavirus in Children with Acute Gastroenteritis

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Abstract
This paper presents results of a continuous 7-month survey on the prevalence of rotaviruses in children from the gastroenteritis ward of the Kuala Lumpur General Hospital in which a total of 587 cases were examined for the presence of rotaviruses by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Rotavirus was detected in 46.3 per cent of all the cases studied. No great variation in the number of positive cases was detected from December 1981 to June 1982. Children from 1 to 2 years of age have the highest infection rate. No significant difference in infection was seen between the sexes. Highest infection rate was observed with Chinese children whereas Indian children had the lowest. Although breast-fed children showed a lower incidence of rotavirus infection than non-breast-fed children, the difference was statistically significant only in children breast-fed for 6 months or longer. Enteropathogenic bacteria were isolated from 8.8 per cent of the positive cases. Comparison of virus detection by ELISA with direct electron microscopy showed that the former was more sensitive.

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