Cha-Shien Yen1, Yhu-Chering Huang2, Chih-Jung Chen3, Shian-Sen Shie4, Shu-Li Yang5, Chung-Guei Huang5, Kuo-Chien Tsao5, Cheng-Hsun Chiu3, Yu-Chia Hsieh3, Chen-Yen Kuo3, Kuan-Ying Arthur Huang3, Tzou-Yien Lin3. 1. Department of Pediatrics, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan. 2. Department of Pediatrics, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan; Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taoyuan, Taiwan. Electronic address: ychuang@adm.cgmh.org.tw. 3. Department of Pediatrics, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan; Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taoyuan, Taiwan. 4. Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan; Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taoyuan, Taiwan. 5. Department of Laboratory Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Norovirus (NoV) and rotavirus (RV) are among the most common causes of acute gastroenteritis (AGE) of all ages worldwide. There have been scanty reports of the epidemiology data of NoV AGE from clinical virologic laboratory. METHODS: All stool specimens sent to the virologic laboratory in a medical center in Taiwan for detection of both NoV (by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction) and RV (by enzyme immunoassay) from 2013 to 2018 were included for analysis. RESULTS: A total of 15,991 specimens, annually ranging from 2430 in 2017-2915 in 2013, were included. 48.0% and 73.1% of the specimens were obtained from children aged < two years and < five years, respectively. Overall, the positive rate was 13.8% for NoV and 13.2% for RV. Yearly positive rate of NoV ranged from 11.1% to 17.4%. The positive rate in 2018 (17.4%) was significantly higher than that in other study years. NoV positive rate was higher in cold season from January (28.3%), February (23.1%), to March (17.9%) while lower in warm seasons from May to September (less than 10%). By age, NoV positive rate was highest in aged 1-4 years (17.3%) and decreased with age. The yearly positive rate of RV showed a significantly steady decrease from 15.6% in 2013 to 9.1% in 2018 (p < 0.001 by trend analysis). CONCLUSIONS: In northern Taiwan, NoV, surpassing RV, accounted for one of seven inpatients with AGE during 2013-2018. NoV activity peaked in cold season and children aged <5 years were more commonly encountered.
BACKGROUND: Norovirus (NoV) and rotavirus (RV) are among the most common causes of acute gastroenteritis (AGE) of all ages worldwide. There have been scanty reports of the epidemiology data of NoV AGE from clinical virologic laboratory. METHODS: All stool specimens sent to the virologic laboratory in a medical center in Taiwan for detection of both NoV (by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction) and RV (by enzyme immunoassay) from 2013 to 2018 were included for analysis. RESULTS: A total of 15,991 specimens, annually ranging from 2430 in 2017-2915 in 2013, were included. 48.0% and 73.1% of the specimens were obtained from children aged < two years and < five years, respectively. Overall, the positive rate was 13.8% for NoV and 13.2% for RV. Yearly positive rate of NoV ranged from 11.1% to 17.4%. The positive rate in 2018 (17.4%) was significantly higher than that in other study years. NoV positive rate was higher in cold season from January (28.3%), February (23.1%), to March (17.9%) while lower in warm seasons from May to September (less than 10%). By age, NoV positive rate was highest in aged 1-4 years (17.3%) and decreased with age. The yearly positive rate of RV showed a significantly steady decrease from 15.6% in 2013 to 9.1% in 2018 (p < 0.001 by trend analysis). CONCLUSIONS: In northern Taiwan, NoV, surpassing RV, accounted for one of seven inpatients with AGE during 2013-2018. NoV activity peaked in cold season and children aged <5 years were more commonly encountered.
Authors: Hui-Chen Tseng; Fung-Chang Sung; Chih-Hsin Mou; Chao W Chen; Shan P Tsai; Dennis P H Hsieh; Chung-Yen Lu; Pei-Chun Chen; Ya-Ling Tzeng Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2021-11-29 Impact factor: 3.390