To provide evidence for clinical diagnosis, prevention and control of group A rotavirus (RVA) diarrhea, the clinical characteristics of RVA diarrhea in children in Beijing from 2011 to 2018 were analyzed.

From January 2011 to December 2018, 4 819 stool samples from children under 5 years old with diarrhea were collected monthly from 3 hospitals in Beijing. General information, clinical characteristics and other information of children were collected. RVA was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), genotype was identified by multiple semi-nested RT-PCR. The Vesikari clinical severity score was used to define the severity of diarrhea in children. Dichotomous unconditional logistic regression was used to analyze clinical symptoms and other differences between RVA positive and negative cases. Chi-square and Fisher direct probability tests were used to compare the composition among different groups.

A total of 4 819 fecal samples were collected, 953 were positive for RVA, the positive detection rate was 19.78%. The positive rate of RVA was high in the younger age group, and the incidence was high in winter and spring. RVA-positive children had more risk on diarrhea ≥5 times a day, vomiting symptoms, fever, mild dehydration, and Vesikari score ≥11. The positive rate of RVA in watery stool samples (26.13%, 214/819) and infectious diarrhea cases (42.20%, 265/628) was the highest respectively. There were no significant differences in clinical symptoms, clinical diagnoses and fecal traits among children with different RVA genotypes.

The clinical symptoms of RVA diarrhea were severe in children. RVA genotype did not affect the clinical symptoms. Stool traits (watery stools) and Vesikari score can assist physicians in diagnosing RVA diarrhea.

Children; Rotavirus; Diarrhea; Clinical characteristics