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Severe rotavirus diarrhea in children is a major cause of morbidity globally and mortality in developing countries. The aim of the study was to determine the frequency of rotavirus as a causative agent among children under five years with gastroenteritis admitted to hospital. This is a retrospective study. A total of 345 cases of acute diarrhea mainly in children below 5 years of age admitted at tertiary care Pediatric hospital in University center "Mother Theresa" over the period 2011-2013 were included in the study. Medical history, diarrhea symptoms, treatment prior to hospitalization and demographics were obtained from medical records. Stool samples were analyzed for rotavirus rotavirus using an enzyme linked immunoassay. The mean age of children is 20.3 months. Of the 345 samples collected 35.4%, 95%CI (30.5-40.5) were positive for rotavirus. The seasonal distribution demonstrates that rotavirus associated diarrhea is more frequent during winter (42.2%) and spring (40.4%) seasons. Etiologic data on diarrheal diseases and are important tools for clinical management and control strategic planning. Rotavirus infection is a major cause for hospitalization of children below the age of 5 years with acute diarrhea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This multi-country prospective study of infants aged <1 year aims to assess the frequency of influenza virus and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infections associated with hospitalizations, to describe clinical features and antibody response to infection, and to examine predictors of very severe disease requiring intensive care., Methods/design: We are enrolling a hospital-based cohort and a sample of non-ill infants in four countries (Albania, Jordan, Nicaragua, and the Philippines) using a common protocol. We are currently starting year 2 of a 2- to 3-year study and will enroll approximately 3,000 infants hospitalized for any acute illness (respiratory or non-respiratory) during periods of local influenza and/or RSV circulation. After informed consent and within 24 h of admission, we collect blood and respiratory specimens and conduct an interview to assess socio-demographic characteristics, medical history, and symptoms of acute illness (onset ≤10 days). Vital signs, interventions, and medications are documented daily through medical record abstraction. A follow-up health assessment and collection of convalescent blood occurs 3-5 weeks after enrollment. Influenza and RSV infection is confirmed by singleplex real time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) assays. Serologic conversion will be assessed comparing acute and convalescent sera using hemagglutination inhibition assay for influenza antibodies and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for RSV. Concurrent with hospital-based enrollment, respiratory specimens are also being collected (and tested by rRT-PCR) from approximately 1,400 non-ill infants aged <1 year during routine medical or preventive care., Discussion: The Influenza and RSV in Infants Study (IRIS) promises to expand our knowledge of the frequency, clinical features, and antibody profiles of serious influenza and RSV disease among infants aged <1 year, quantify the proportion of infections that may be missed by traditional surveillance, and inform decisions about the potential value of existing and new vaccines and other prevention and treatment strategies.