Epidemiology of gastroenteritis associated to rotavirus and adenovirus among human beings in Rio de Janeiro City from 1998 to 2002

Abstract

Gastroenteritis is one of the major causes of morbidity among children in developed countries and of mortality in developing countries. Rotavirus is responsible for most of the diarrhea occurrences; it infects nearly all the children under the age of 5 years old. Adenovirus is the second most frequent agent associated to diarrhea, however its epidemiology has not been well-established yet. The presence of rotavirus and adenovirus was investigated in children from Rio de Janeiro City, from January 1998 to December 2002. Fecal samples of children with diarrhea were tested for the presence of the rotavirus RNA by SDS-PAGE and for the adenovirus by EIA. Rotavirus was detected in 12% of the children. The highest incidence of rotavirus was observed from May to September, the driest and coldest months in the studied region. The occurrence of adenovirus was detected at a lower frequency (6%), and no defined seasonal pattern was observed.