[Acute gastroenteritis caused by rotavirus (author's transl)].

A prospective study of 87 children hospital admitted for acute gastroenteritis [AGE] with ages between 24 days and three years and a control group of 32 children with ages between six months and three years, is presented. In all cases a virological study of stools is made by electron microscopy [E/M]. In 63 percent of the 87 patients with AGE, viruses were isolated, being rotavirus the most common, 45.9 percent, a similar incidence as that found in developed countries. The clinical course and analytical findings within the groups with viral and non-viral AGE do not show significant differences. Special stress is set upon the reliability of the E/M technique on the stools for rotavirus induced AGE diagnosis, due to the good correlation with clinical data, presence of seroconversion and the finding of virus in duodenal juice. Results of intestinal biopsy in a certain group of children are shown.