A study of risk factors of viral gastroenteritis during infancy

Abstract EN

Introduction: Diarrhea is a leading cause of mortality in children under 5 years of age.

The number of viral agents associated with diarrheal disease in humans has progressively increased.

Aim of the study: To investigate the predisposing risk factors associated with viral gastroenteritis during infancy.

Methodology: The study was carried out on 80 infants aged P 6 months enrolled from gastroenteritis department in Abo El Rish paediatric hospital, Cairo University.

From September 2011 to may 2012 Self designed questionnaire was verbally administered to mothers including (age of the infant, family number, working of mother, the usage of private feeding tools for infants, exclusive breast feeding or mixed feeding, attendance of a day care nursery).S tudied infants were subdivided into two groups, exclusively breast fed group and the non exclusively breast fed infants.

Stool samples were obtained from the infants on admission.

Viruses were screened using RT- PCR for rotaviruses, astroviruses and noroviruses, and by PCR for detection of adenoviruses.

Results: The infants’ mean age was 4.8± 1.4 months and 57% were males.

The mean of family size was 4.4± 1.0 and 12% of them were attending day care nursery.

By using RT- PCR and PCR to detect causative viruses Rota virus was detected in 42 infants 18 (52.9%) of them were exclusively breast fed and 24 (53%) of them were from the non exclusively breast fed group with no significant statically difference.

There was no significant impact of the social data on the incidence of Rota virus infection.

Conclusion: Breast feeding was associated with low risk of viral gastroenteritis, food handling hygiene and social parameter didn’t affect the risk of viral gastroenteritis