Laboratory of Infectious Diseases and Biological Agents, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Monastir, TU-5000 Monastir, Tunisia.
BMC Infect Dis. 2011 Oct 3;11:266. doi: 10.1186/1471-2334-11-266.
Rotavirus infection is the most common cause of severe, dehydrating, gastroenteritis among children worldwide. In developing countries, approximately 1440 children die from rotavirus infections each day, with an estimated 527,000 annually. In infants, rotavirus is estimated to cause more than 2 million hospitalizations every year depending on the income level of the country. The purpose of this study was to estimate the proportion of rotavirus gastroenteritis and identify the distribution of circulating G and P genotype rotavirus strains among children consulting several dispensaries in the region of Monastir (outpatients departments) or admitted to Monastir University Hospital (inpatients department) with acute gastroenteritis.
This study was undertaken during a 3-year period from April 2007 to April 2010 in Tunisian children under 13 suffering from acute gastroenteritis. Group A rotaviruses were detected in stools by ELISA and genotyped using multiplex reverse transcription PCRs with type-specific primers on the basis of their outer capsid proteins. Statistical analyses were performed with SPSS software, version 19.
Of the 435 stool samples from children with acute gastroenteritis, 27.6% were positive for rotavirus A. The predominant G type was G1 (37.5%), followed by G3 (25%), G2 (17.5%), G4 (12.5%), G9 (2.5%) and three mixed-G infections G3G4 (2.5%) were identified. Only P[8] (80.8%), P[4] (16.7%) and P[9] (0.8%) genotypes were found. The predominant single G/P combination was G1P[8] (37.5%), followed by G3P[8] (25%), G2P[4] (16.7%), G4P[8] (12.5%), G9P[8] (1.7%) and one case of the unusual combination G9P[9] (0.8%). The G-mixed types G3G4 combined with P[8] (2.5%). Infants less than 3 months of age were most frequently affected. The prevalence of rotavirus infection peaked in the winter season, when temperatures were low, and decreased in summer.
Rotavirus gastroenteritis is a common disease associated with significant morbidity, mortality, and economic burden. Epidemiological knowledge of rotavirus is critical for the development of effective preventive measures, including vaccines. These data will help to make informed decisions as to whether rotavirus vaccine should be considered for inclusion in Tunisia's National Immunisation Programme.
轮状病毒感染是全世界儿童中最常见的严重、脱水性肠胃炎的病因。在发展中国家，每天约有 1440 名儿童死于轮状病毒感染，每年估计有 52.7 万名儿童死亡。在婴儿中，轮状病毒每年估计导致 200 多万例住院治疗，具体取决于国家的收入水平。本研究的目的是估计轮状病毒肠胃炎的比例，并确定在突尼斯莫纳斯提尔地区（门诊）或莫纳斯提尔大学医院（住院部）就诊的患有急性肠胃炎的儿童中循环 G 和 P 基因型轮状病毒株的分布。
本研究于 2007 年 4 月至 2010 年 4 月在突尼斯 13 岁以下患有急性肠胃炎的儿童中进行。通过 ELISA 在粪便中检测到 A 组轮状病毒，并使用基于外壳蛋白的多重逆转录 PCR 用型特异性引物对其进行基因分型。使用 SPSS 软件，版本 19 进行统计分析。
在 435 份来自患有急性肠胃炎的儿童的粪便样本中，27.6%检测到轮状病毒 A 阳性。主要的 G 型是 G1（37.5%），其次是 G3（25%）、G2（17.5%）、G4（12.5%）、G9（2.5%）和三种混合-G 感染 G3G4（2.5%）。仅发现 P[8]（80.8%）、P[4]（16.7%）和 P[9]（0.8%）基因型。主要的单一 G/P 组合是 G1P[8]（37.5%），其次是 G3P[8]（25%）、G2P[4]（16.7%）、G4P[8]（12.5%）、G9P[8]（1.7%）和一例不常见的 G9P[9]（0.8%）组合。G 混合类型 G3G4 与 P[8]（2.5%）组合。小于 3 个月大的婴儿最常受影响。轮状病毒感染的流行率在冬季达到高峰，此时气温较低，夏季下降。
轮状病毒肠胃炎是一种常见疾病，与显著的发病率、死亡率和经济负担有关。对轮状病毒的流行病学知识对于制定有效的预防措施至关重要，包括疫苗。这些数据将有助于就轮状病毒疫苗是否应考虑纳入突尼斯国家免疫规划做出明智决策。
