Epidemiology of Group A Rotavirus Diarrhea among Children Hospitalized for Acute Gastroenteritis in Ondo State, Nigeria

Abstract Globally, infective group A rotavirus (RVA) enteric infection in children culminates in acute diarrheal disease, severe dehydration, and mortality in children under the age of 5 years, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. This research sought to determine the prevalence of RVA diarrhea among children aged below 5 years in Ondo state, as one of the necessary frameworks before instituting a vaccine campaign, and to expand knowledge on the epidemiology of RVA diarrhea in Nigeria. In a cross-sectional descriptive study between October 2012 and September 2014, convenience sampling was adopted to obtain demographic information, clinical details, and stool samples from accented under five children who sought treatment for acute gastroenteritis at designated hospitals in Akure and Owo, Nigeria. A total of 390 stool samples were collected from children with acute diarrhea and tested for VP6 RVA antigen using enzyme immunoassay. Data generated were analyzed using descriptive statistics and chi-square at α 0.05. From the 390 children hospitalized for diarrhea, 240 samples (240/390; 61.5%) were from males, while 150 samples (150/390; 38.5%) were from females, representing a male:female ratio of 1.6:1. RVAs were found in 24.2% (58/240) males and 28% (42/150) females, giving a male-female ratio of 1:1.2 and total prevalence of 25.6% (100/390). RVA infection was inversely proportional to the age as a rate of 11.8% was observed in children aged above 36 months and 31.8% (35/110) in children 7 to 12 months, while the highest rate (45.7%) was among children ≤ 6 months old. No significant difference was found (chi-square = 0.712) in the induction of diarrhea in children from Akure and Owo, neither was there any significant difference in the rates of infection between the boys and girls in Akure (chi-square = 0.576) nor in Owo (chi-square = 0.333). Seasonal association (chi-square = 5.802) in RVA infection was observed in the rainy season of year 2013/2014 period. RVA diarrhea occurred year-round at a prevalence of 25.6%, predominantly in females. A seasonal fluctuation was observed in the rainy and dry seasons of the 2-year period. RVA diarrhea occurred predominantly in children aged below 18 months of age, and may thus help in determining the optimal period/schedule of any immunization program.