Epidemiologic study of rotaviral gastroenteritis in Daejeon, Korea, 2001–2005

Chae, Joo Hee; Kim, Min Ji; Kim, Do Hee; Lee, Kyung Yil; Kang, Jin Han; Lee, Joon Sung

Abstract

PURPOSE
We evaluated the epidemiologic characteristics of rotavirus gastroenteritis in Daejeon, Korea from January 2001 through December 2005.
METHODS
We retrospectively analyzed 540 medical records of children with gastroenteritis, who had been hospitalized at The Catholic University of Korea, Daejeon St. Mary's Hospital and were tested positive by rotavirus stool examinations (latex agglutination or immunechromatography).
RESULTS
The mean age was 21.8±15.3 months (ranged from 2 months to 9 years of age) and the distribution of children were 144 cases (26.7%) in < 1 year of age, 228 (42.2%) in 1 year of age, and 93 (17.2%) in 2 years of age, and the 505 children (93.5%) were less than 4 years of age. The male-to-female ratio was 1.4:1. The mean annual number of cases was 108, with a relative even occurrence in each year. Although the patients with rotaviral gastroenteritis occurred through the year, a higher rate of occurrence was seen in spring (March to May, 40.8%) and winter season (December to February, 37.9%), without significant differences in each year.
CONCLUSION
In Daejeon, Korea, rotaviral gastroenteritis have occurred in children less than 4 years of age, with slight annual variations and similar seasonal occurrence in the recent years. The data indicate that the recent trend in peak rotavirus activity is different from that observed decades ago in Korea.