Severity of Rotavirus Diarrhea in Children: One Year Experience in a Children Hospital of Bangladesh

Objective: This study was conducted to determine the hospital prevalence, clinical severity and treatment outcome of rotavirus versus non-rotavirus diarrhea in children attending a secondary level children hospital of Bangladesh. Methods: Total 601 children aged from 1 month to 5 years with watery diarrhea were enrolled and their stool samples were analyzed by ELISA for rotavirus antigen. Findings: Total 601 children aged from 1 month to 5 years with watery diarrhea were enrolled and their stool samples were analyzed by ELISA for rotavirus antigen. Conclusion: Despite high prevalence of Rotavirus diarrhea in Bangladesh, majority of this illness can be managed at home and/or in primary health care centers, since clinical severity and outcome of rotavirus diarrhea remains similar to that of non-rotavirus diarrhea. This message is expected to reduce frequent and sometimes un-necessary referral of diarrhea patients to higher centers thereby saving the working hours of the attending parents as well as disease burden to children hospitals having limited beds against the huge demand