Abstract
Between November 1979 and March 1980, the stools of 183 nursery patients were studied for RV by electron microscopy (EM) and/or enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Two discrete periods of RV excretion were identified during the time when RV was prevalent in the community. 22% (22/100) of babies studied during the prevalence period shed RV in their stools. In experience paralleling that in Britain and Australia, our RV-infected infants had mild illness or no symptoms; vomiting occurred in only two. 41% (9/22) of RV positive patients were 6-17 days old, and six of them had loose, mucoid or watery stools (LMW). LMW stools were observed in 16/22 patients (73%) with RV infection and also in 73% (43/59) without RV infection. One of the outbreaks was traceable to the admission of an RV-infected infant. This infant and two others with RV infection presented with non specific signs of sepsis without diarrhea. Rapid diagnostic methods and infection control measures helped control the spread of RV. It seems likely that there is considerable RV infection in tertiary nurseries in the winter. In such nurseries, when RV is prevalent, we recommend the use of rapid methods of diagnosis, such as EM, particularly to screen community admissions for RV.
Article PDF
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Rodriguez, W., Kim, H., Brandt, C. et al. 491 ROTA VIRUS (RV) INFECTION AND ILLNESS IN PATIENT'S IN A TERTIARY CARE NURSERY. Pediatr Res 15 (Suppl 4), 522 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198104001-00504
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198104001-00504