Epidemiology and clinical features of Rotavirus infection among children in Rawalpindi, Pakistan

Group A rotavirus (RVA) associated gastroenteritis is a major cause of infantile morbidity and mortality, globally. Pakistan had the highest rates of gastroenteritis among kids, every year. Our study aimed to assess the RVA disease burden and circulating genotypes in Rawalpindi, before the vaccine's introduction in Pakistan. Stool samples were collected from children < 5 years of age admitted at Benazir Bhutto Hospital, Rawalpindi, from November 2014 to May 2015. Of the 300 stool samples, 47% of children were found positive for RVA antigen on ELISA, with the highest prevalence (52%) in infants less than 7 months of age. Rotavirus positive cases through real-time PCR were 65.5%. Fever and diarrhea were significantly related to RVA infection when compared to RVA-negative cases (P = 0.02). It is the first report on an upsurge of G12P[6] (17.24%) along with the rise of previously declining G3 in the current epidemiological area. The other prevalent types were G1P[8] (12.07%), G1P[4] (6.90%), G1P[6] (5.17%), G3P[6] (5.17%), followed by G2P[6], G3P[4], G9P[4], and G12P[8] each found with a prevalence of (3.45%). This study reports G3P[4], G3P[6] and G12P[4] for the first time in Pakistan. Mixed genotype infections were found in 21% of cases. G12P[6], which was the predominant genotype in this study, was found to be significantly associated with fever (P = 0.03). This study provides valuable data on the significantly highest prevalence of RVA-associated gastroenteritis in kids of Rawalpindi, Pakistan, and elucidates the vast diversity of circulating RVA genotypes. The reported disease burden, genotypes, and clinical symptoms would enable public health dealers to cope with the severity of the disease. It also provides an evolutionary trend of changing genotypes in the country.