Assessment of Rotavirus Infection in Hospitalized Children with Diarrhea

Background: Rotavirus (RV) is associated with diarrhea in children under 5 years old. It leads to severe dehydration. RV infection is the third cause of hospitalization and death in children under 5 years old. Objectives: This study aimed to assess the frequency of RV infection in hospitalized children under 5 years old with diarrhea during 2021-2022. Methods: In this cross-sectional observational study, a total of 190 stool samples from hospitalized children with diarrhea were collected in Mofid Children’s Hospital in Tehran from December 2020 to March 2021. RV infection was detected by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Chi-square tests were performed to determine the difference in age and gender group, time, and symptoms. Results: The overall prevalence of RV infection was 28.5% and higher in boys (68.5%), children aged ≤ 12 months (44.4%), and children with mixed feeding (33.3%); it is more common in winter. Vomiting (79.6%), fever (87.03%), and non-exudative stool (88.8%) were observed in most children with RV, but there were no significant differences in children with and without RV. Conclusions: Due to the prevalence of RV among children under 5 years of age, establishing a national RV registration system and control programs, like vaccination, seems to be considered.