Epidemiological features of rotavirus, bacterial, and parasitic infections among hospitalized children under five years old in the city of Jahrom (Iran) during 2006-2007

Rotavirus is one of the most common cause of diarrhea and one of the major causes of sever gastroenteritis in very young children. To follow up and genotype the agents of rotavirus infection as well as assessing the bacterial and parasitic organisms among hospitalized children with gastroenteritis in the city of Jahrom, Iran. This was a cross-sectional descriptive study carried out during October 2006 to October 2007. A total of 163 stool samples from hospitalized children less than 5 years old with severe diarrhea were collected from two hospitals in Jahrom. Culture, microscopy, EIA, and RT-PCR were used for detection of bacterial, parasitic and rotaviral agents. Data were analyzed using SPSS 14 and descriptive statistics including chi-square test, ANOVA, and Fisher exact test. A p value less than 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. Of total samples, 46.02% were positive for group A rotavirus by EIA. The predominant genotypes were G1 (17.33%), G4 (30.66%), and nontypable (30.66%). Also, E.coli, Shigella spp., Shigella spp. + E.coli, E.coli + rotavirus, Salmonella spp., E. histolytica/E.Dispar, and other infectious agents were identified in 7.97%, 17.18%, 1.83%, 15.20%, 3.66%, 10.84%, and 6.28% of cases, respectively. According to the data obtained from the present study, rotavirus infections in Jahrom mostly occur within the cold months of the year, epidemiologically.