de Villiers F P R, Steele A D, Driessen Marie
Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, MEDUNSA, South Africa.
Ann Trop Paediatr. 2003 Dec;23(4):309-12. doi: 10.1179/027249303225007789.
Rotavirus is an ubiquitous virus associated with severe gastro-enteritis in children under 2 years of age. However, serious conditions, including central nervous system involvement, have been associated with rotavirus infection. We investigated the clinical signs and symptoms of rotavirus infection in 156 neonates, specifically focusing on neurological signs. Neurological signs identified were apnoea, jitteriness, convulsions and poor sucking. Of the 156 babies, 66 were rotavirus-positive and 90 rotavirus-negative. In the rotavirus-positive group, 19.7% manifested apnoea compared with 22.2% in the rotavirus-negative group. The other three symptoms occurred in <10% of the neonates. Rotavirus dsRNA was detected by RT-PCR in the CSF of two. One had apnoea, the other no CNS symptoms. Although rotavirus infection in neonates is hardly ever asymptomatic and may cause death, it has not been associated with CNS symptomatology in our studies.
轮状病毒是一种普遍存在的病毒，与2岁以下儿童的严重肠胃炎有关。然而，包括中枢神经系统受累在内的严重病症已被证实与轮状病毒感染有关。我们调查了156名新生儿轮状病毒感染的临床体征和症状，特别关注神经系统体征。所确定的神经系统体征包括呼吸暂停、易激惹、惊厥和吸吮无力。在这156名婴儿中，66名轮状病毒检测呈阳性，90名轮状病毒检测呈阴性。在轮状病毒阳性组中，19.7%出现呼吸暂停，而轮状病毒阴性组为22.2%。其他三种症状在不到10%的新生儿中出现。通过RT-PCR在两名患儿的脑脊液中检测到轮状病毒双链RNA。其中一名有呼吸暂停，另一名无中枢神经系统症状。尽管新生儿轮状病毒感染几乎不会无症状，且可能导致死亡，但在我们的研究中，它与中枢神经系统症状并无关联。
