Fatal rotavirus gastroenteritis: an analysis of 21 cases
J. A. Carlson, P. J. Middleton, M. T. Szymanski, J. Huber and M. Petric
During the period of May 1972 to March 1977, twenty-one fatal cases of
rotavirus acute gastroenteritis were recorded in the city of Toronto. The
mean age of these subjects was approximately 1 year. Boys outnumbered girls
by 12 to 9. Death occurred within three days of onset of symptoms in all
cases. Sixteen of the subjects were profoundly dehydrated and had sodium
levels (serum or vitreous humor) in excess of 150 mEq/liter. In 11
subjects, sodium values were greater than 160 mEq/liter. Although a
physician was contacted in 16 instances, these infants still perished. We
suggest that both language difficulties and the rapid rate of fluid
depletion contributed significantly to the fatal outcome. At autopsy the
bowel was often dilated and filled with fluid. Postmortem autolysis
precluded an accurate histological assessment of the small bowel mucosa.
