To analyze the epidemiological characteristics of human rotavirus (HRV) diarrhea in infants and young children in Minhang District and to provide the gudance for the prevention and control of infectious diarrhea in infants.

Stool samples were collected from children under 5 years old with diarrhea attending the infants' diarrhea monitoring hospitals in Minhang district from June 1, 2013 to June 30, 2015 and then tested for etiological analysis. Moreover, a survey was conducted on the parents of these patients by using a face to face questionnaire administration mode.

A total of 797 stool specimens were collected, 15.31% (122/797) of which were positive for HRV. Most of the HRV infections occurred during November to January. The peak of HRV infection reached in December with an infection rate of 46.91%, followed by 40% in November and 25.76% in January. Forty-five out of 185 (24.32%) children at age 12-<18 months were positive for HRV infection, which was the highest HRV infection rate as compared with those of other age groups. There were significant differences in HRV infection rate among children from different age groups (χ²=18.479, P=0.001). Among the 122 children positive for HRV, scattered inhabiting children accounted for 95.08%, kindergarten children accounted for 4.92%, children with the household register accounted for 22.13% and those without the household register accounted for 77.87%. Children with moderate (Vesikari scores of 6 to 10 points), mild (Vesikari scores of 1 to 5 points) and severe (Vesikari scores≥11 points) clinical symptoms accounted for 59.84%, 28.69% and 11.48% of the 122 subjects positive for HRV, respectively. The differences in clinical symptoms between children from different age groups were statistically significant (χ²=17.367, P=0.002). Among the 122 children with HRV infection, 20 (16.39%) cases had the immunization history of oral rotavirus attenuated live vaccine (ORV) with 2 cases immunized with 2 doses and 18 cases immunized with 1 dose.

HRV is the predominant pathogen causing viral diarrhea in infants and young children in autumn and winter. It is necessary to conduct a seasonal prevention program among scattered inhabiting children. It is suggested that ORV vaccination and other prevention strategies should be prepared for children less than 12 months of age before the peak of HRV infection.

Rotavirus diarrhea in infants and young children; Etiology; Monitor