Epidemiology and Genotype Distribution of Rotavirus Gastroenteritis in Under-Five Children of South Rajasthan, India

Objective To determine the epidemiology of rotavirus diarrhea and its genotypes distribution among under five children from Udaipur, Rajasthan. Methods Hospital-based prospective study among children aged 0–59 mo of age hospitalized due to acute gastroenteritis and assess the clinical and epidemiological profile. Stool samples collected during 2017–2019 from 734 children, were tested by enzyme immune assay (EIA) to identify rotavirus and the samples that were positive were subjected to genotyping using published methods. Results Rotavirus was detected in 12.94% (95/734) of the stool samples. Maximum positivity (38.9%) was seen in children aged 12–23 mo followed by 34.7% in 6–11 mo of age. Detection rates were higher (46.31%, 44/95) during winter months of December–February; 65% children with rotavirus diarrhea had severe dehydration followed by moderate dehydration in 32% of cases. G3P[8] (40, 43.01%) was the commonest genotype followed by G9P[4] (10, 10.75%). Conclusion Among under-five children hospitalized due to acute gastroenteritis in a tertiary care setting in Udaipur, Rajasthan, 12.9% of children were rotavirus positive with predominant (43.01%) circulation of G3P[8] strains.