Rotavirus gastroenteritis in the Washington, DC, area: incidence of cases resulting in admission to the hospital
W. J. Rodriguez, H. W. Kim, C. D. Brandt, B. Bise, A. Z. Kapikian, R. M. Chanock, G. Curlin and R. H. Parrott
The incidence of rotavirus gastroenteritis in infants and children that
required admission to the hospital was estimated for a defined population
of approximately 105,000 individuals, including 29,000 children aged 15
years or younger whose primary health care was provided by Group Health
Association, Inc, a health maintenance organization in the Washington, DC,
area. From January 1977 through March 1979, almost all infants and children
in this age group who required hospitalization for gastroenteritis were
studied for evidence of infection with human rotavirus (HRV) and other
agents. On the average, one in 272 (3.7/1,000) infants less than 12 months
old and one in 451 (2.2/1,000) children aged 13 through 24 months were
hospitalized for HRV disease each winter. The incidence of rotavirus
gastroenteritis requiring hospitalization declined precipitously in
children after the second birthday and such illness was not detected in
children aged 5 years or older. The role of other agents in acute
gastroenteritis requring hospitalization was minimal, compared with that of
rotavirus.
