Frequency of Rotavirus as a Cause of Acute Diarrhea

Abstract

Objective: To find out how frequently infants between the ages of one month and twenty-four months who have severe diarrhea are affected by the Rota virus.

Study Design: A Descriptive Cross-Sectional Study.

Place and Duration of Study: This study was conducted  at the Department of Pediatrics Units, Khyber Teaching Hospital in Peshawar between January 2021 and January 2022.

Methods: The investigation was conducted at the pediatric departments of the Khyber Teaching Hospital in Peshawar. The study employed a descriptive cross-sectional study design and ran for six months. The sample size was calculated using WHO software to be 140 with an 8% margin of error, 63% Rota virus diarrhea, and a 95% confidence level.

Results: We found that the mean age was 7 months, with a standard deviation of 2.77. 38% of the children were female and 62% of the youngsters were male. Three quarters of children had severe dehydration, compared to sixty-five percent who had mild dehydration. More than 63% of kids had pus cells that were less than 10, while 37% of kids had pus cells that were greater than 10. Children had RBCs in 35% of them, bacteria in their stools in 8% of them, and cysts in 15% of them. Rotavirus antigen frequency was 63%.

Conclusion: The study has demonstrated that diarrhea in children under the age of five is frequently caused by the rota virus.