[Ten-year retrospective study of rotavirus infection in the province of Castellón (Spain)]. / Estudio retrospectivo de 10 años de la infección por rotavirus en la provincia de Castellón.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the percentage of rotavirus infection in children aged less than 14 years old and the epidemiology in area 02 of the province of Castellón (Spain). MATERIAL AND METHODS: We performed a retrospective study from January 1995 to December 2004 in which 14,068 stool samples from pediatric patients with acute gastroenteritis were analyzed. The variables analyzed were sex, age, origin, diagnosis of rotavirus, and date of diagnosis. Differences were considered statistically significant if p<0.05. RESULTS: Rotavirus was detected in 11.9% of the samples (1687 cases) in the 10 years of the study, 12.14 % corresponded to boys and 11.81% to girls (p=0.5459). The mean age of the population was 2.63 years. The highest percentage of cases occurred in the group aged 1- 4 years old (14.1%; p<0.001) and in outpatients (12.76%; p<0.05). In this geographical region, there was a significant tendency (p<0.001) for rotavirus to occur in the winter months. CONCLUSION: Rotavirus is one of the main causes of morbidity in children both in the hospital and the outpatient setting. Children aged less than 4 years old are most frequently affected, especially those aged 1 year. The infection appears mainly in winter.

[Infectious diarrhea study in Castellón, Spain (EDICS): population incidence of sporadic cases in 2004 and comparison with the year 2000]. / Estudio de la diarrea infecciosa en Castellón (EDICS): incidencia poblacional de casos esporádicos en 2004 y comparación con el año 2000.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Infectious intestinal diseases are highly prevalent, and among them sporadic cases are the most common processes. The aim of this study was to estimate the incidence of sporadic cases diagnosed in a healthcare district of Castellón (Spain) in the year 2004, and to compare them with those of the year 2000. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Based on routine coprocultures and individual demographic data of each patient, we calculated the population rates by age for the more frequent microorganisms, especially detailed for children up to 5 years of age. We report the results of the year 2004, and compare these with the previous study of the year 2000. RESULTS: Campylobacter showed the highest rate (1.01 x 103), followed by Salmonella (0.75), each without significant differences regarding the year 2000. The rate of rotavirus cases (0.65) was smaller than in 2000; and for adenovirus 2004 was an atypical seasonal year. In children younger than 3 years, rates were 26.54; 10.23 and 11.75. As in the previous study, the age-distribution in children < 5 years was very particular. An U inverted shape was seen for Campylobacer, and the rates for rotavirus decreased after the peak observed in the youngest group (< 6 months). Among hospitalized patients rotavirus was the most common and Campylobacter the less common. CONCLUSIONS: The epidemiological traits of the rates by age until the age of five are characteristic for each microorganism, as are the proportions of hospitalization. Rates of Campylobacter and Salmonella in the year 2004 were similar to the year 2000, but a decrease in the rotavirus rates was observed.