[Rotavirus diarrhea in a health center and a hospital of Managua, Nicaragua].

Diarrhoea has been considered by WHO as a major problem of morbidity and mortality in children under 5 years. Rotavirus has been reported as one of the main causal agents, although its frequency as causal agent of diarrhoea in Nicaragua is not known. A study was carried out on 206 samples from an equal number of children under 5 years, who presented at a health center and a pediatric hospital in Managua during 9 months in 1987. In order to detect the presence of Rotavirus in faeces, the ELISA technique was used. It was proved that Rotavirus is not a significant cause of diarrhoea in children under 5 years in the places studied.