Viral diarrhoea in young children in two districts in Nigeria.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence of viral agents of diarrhoea in Ilorin and Lagos, two zones in Nigeria. DESIGN: A survey of young children who had clinically confirmed diarrhoea. SETTING: University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital in Ilorin, Kware State and the Massey Street Children's Hospital in Lagos State, Nigeria. SUBJECTS: 108 children under the age of five. RESULTS: The prevalence rates observed were 33.3% for rotavirus, 6.7% for adenovirus and 1.2% for astrovirus. The rotavirus strains were characterized further. PAGE determined the presence of seven patterns of RNA electropherotypes, with one short RN patterns and six long patterns. The G and P types of selected rotavirus positive samples were characterized by RT-PCR techniques. The VP7 G typing showed that GI was the most prevalent single strain found (8.3%), while G3 and G4 accounted for 6.7% and 1.7%. The rate of mixed G serotypes was 26.7%. The P[6] genotype was the most prevalent (52%) and the P[4] had a prevalence of 8%. The mixed P genotype accounted for 28% of the rotavirus strains. The high rate of mixed infection may have an implication on vaccine development. CONCLUSION: Rotavirus was the most prevalent virus in the study with astrovirus being the second most prevalent. There was only a single incidence of astrovirus.