Role of rotavirus as the cause of acute paediatric diarrhoea in Calcutta

Abstract
Of the 245 acute paediatric diarrhoea cases admitted to the Infectious Diseases Hospital, Calcutta between July 1979 and June 1981, rotavirus was detected in the faeces of 55 (22·4%) patients either as the sole aetiological agent or in association with other enteropathogens. Children aged six months to two years were most commonly infected. The virus was detected throughout the year with higher incidence during the winter months of both years. The frequency of detection of major enteropathogens other than rotavirus was Vibrio cholerae biotype El Tor (31·0%), enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (8·2%) and enterotoxigenic E. coli (6·5%).