Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London WC1E 7HT, United Kingdom.
Am J Epidemiol. 2010 May 1;171(9):1023-30. doi: 10.1093/aje/kwq050. Epub 2010 Apr 14.
Rotavirus is a major cause of infectious intestinal disease in young children; a substantial prevalence of asymptomatic infection has been reported across all age groups. In this study, the authors determined characteristics of asymptomatic rotavirus infection and potential risk factors for infection. Healthy persons were recruited at random from the general population of England during the Study of Infectious Intestinal Disease in England (1993-1996). Rotavirus infection was identified using reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction. Multivariable logistic regression was used to compare exposures reported by participants with rotavirus infection with those of participants who tested negative. Multiple imputation was used to account for missing responses in the data set. The age-adjusted prevalence of asymptomatic rotavirus infection was 11%; prevalence was highest in children under age 18 years. Attendance at day care was a risk factor for asymptomatic rotavirus infection in children under age 5 years; living in a household with a baby that was still in diapers was a risk factor in older adults. The results suggest that asymptomatic rotavirus infection is transmitted through the same route as rotavirus infectious intestinal disease: person-to-person contact. More work is needed to understand the role of asymptomatic infections in transmission leading to rotavirus disease.
轮状病毒是导致婴幼儿感染性肠道疾病的主要原因；在所有年龄段，无症状感染的大量流行情况都有报道。在这项研究中，作者确定了无症状轮状病毒感染的特征以及感染的潜在危险因素。在英格兰传染性肠道疾病研究期间（1993-1996 年），作者从英格兰的普通人群中随机招募了健康人群。通过逆转录聚合酶链反应确定轮状病毒感染情况。采用多变量逻辑回归比较有轮状病毒感染的参与者和检测结果为阴性的参与者的暴露情况。采用多重插补处理数据集内缺失的回复。年龄调整后的无症状轮状病毒感染率为 11%；感染率在 18 岁以下的儿童中最高。5 岁以下儿童参加日托是无症状轮状病毒感染的危险因素；在与仍在使用尿布的婴儿同住的家庭中，老年人感染的风险因素。结果表明，无症状轮状病毒感染通过与轮状病毒感染性肠道疾病相同的途径传播：人与人之间的接触。还需要更多的工作来了解无症状感染在导致轮状病毒疾病的传播中所起的作用。
