Rotavirus and enteric pathogens in infantile diarrhoea in Manipal, South India

The etiology of Rotavirus in acute diarrhoeal illness in children 0-5 years of age, admitted to the pediatric wards of Kasturba Medical College Hospital, Manipal was studied over a period of 5 years. Rotavirus in the faeces detected by Latex agglutination test accounted for 19.56% of the diarrhoea with maximum incidence (65%) in the 7-12 months of age group. Bacterial aetiological agents continued to play a significant role (69.6%) in diarrhoeal diseases. Enteroaggregative E. coli was common in the age group between 25-36 months, Shigellosis in 37-60 months and Salmonella typhimurium enteritis in 7-12 months of age. The other pathogens isolated were vibrio cholerae (4.98%), species of aeromonas (15.92%), along with cryptosporidium (6.47%) and candida albicans (3.98%). In a control group consisting of 100 children without history of diarrhoea, 2 were positive for rotavirus, 3 for cryptosporidium and 12 for Escherichia coli.