Prevalence of rotavirus causing acute diarrhea in children below two years in Babylon Governorate in Iraq

Abstract EN

Objective: Acute diarrhea is considered as the major cause of morbidity and mortality disease to infants in the world.

This research is done to reveal the prevalence of rotavirus that cause diarrhea in children below two years with their spreading according to age, sex, feeding pattern, residence and mother education.

Methods: 315 children less than two years of age, who were suffering from acute diarrhea, were studied between November 2003 and April 2004 in Babylon governorate including 225 hospitalized patients and 90 outpatients.

Rotavirus antigen was detected in their stool by latex agglutination technique.

Results: Rotavirus antigen was positive in 22.5% of cases.

The frequency of rotavirus infection was significantly higher among patients under one year of age (99%).

Breast-feeding proved to have a protective action against rotavirus infection