Vol. 5, Issue 12 (2016)

Objectives: This research work was performed to assess the prevalence and seasonal variation as well as the clinical profile laboratory criteria of Rotavirus- associated diarrhea among pediatric patients from Baghdad.

Study Design: An outpatient-hospital based prospective study was carried out at AL-Elweya Pediatric Hospital and Children Welfare Teaching Hospital, Baghdad from February1st, 2013 till January 31th, 2014. Stool specimens from 807 children less than 5 years of age suffering from acute gastroenteritis were tested for the presence of rotaviruses by an immunochromatographic assay (ICA) (CER TEST: SPAIN) for Rotavirus. Males constituted 57.9% (467 out of 807) while the females were 42.1% (340 out of 807). A male: female ratio was1.4:1. Their age ranged from 0.5-60 months.

Results: Rotavirus-positive stool specimens was detected in 325 (40.3%) among acute diarrheal children aged less than five years. Rotavirus infections showed two peaks; the highest one was during September (61 cases) and the second was during January (52 cases). These infections were also shown during the hottest months in Iraq, July and August, where the number of cases dropped to three and nine cases, respectively.

Conclusions: Our statistical analyses indicated that Rota-viral gastroenteritis had peaked in an equal highest number of occurrences in autumn as well as winter seasons and were more frequently observed among younger children.