Projected health impact and cost-effectiveness of rotavirus vaccination among children <5 years of age in China.

Introduction: Two rotavirus vaccines have been licensed globally since 2006. In China, only a lamb rotavirus vaccine is licensed and several new rotavirus vaccines are in development. Data regarding the projected health impact and cost-effectiveness of vaccination of children in China against rotavirus will assist policy makers in developing recommendations for vaccination.

Importance and challenges of accurately counting rotavirus deaths in China, 2002.

Rotavirus mortality is an important component of the total burden of rotavirus disease for children under 5 years old, but accurate estimation is difficult for many developing countries. Here we applied a more direct method to improve estimates of rotavirus mortality in China using 2002 Chinese-specific data. Results indicate that in 2002, approximately 13,400 children under 5 years old in China died from rotavirus and 70% of these deaths occur in rural areas.

Hospital-Based Surveillance of Rotavirus Diarrhea in the People's Republic of China, August 2003-July 2007.

Rotaviruses cause acute diarrhea worldwide. Previous studies of rotavirus diarrhea in China found that rotavirus infection is the most common cause of severe diarrhea in young children. In the present study, surveillance of rotavirus diarrhea was conducted involving 9549 children aged <5 years who were admitted for treatment of diarrhea at 11 sentinel hospitals in China from August 2003 through July 2007.

Viral agents associated with acute gastroenteritis in children hospitalized with diarrhea in Lanzhou, China.

Background: Gastroenteritis is a major cause of childhood morbidity and mortality worldwide. Rotavirus, human caliciviruses (HucV), adenovirus, and astrovirus are recognized as common etiologies of acute gastroenteritis.

Objectives: To use antigen detection and molecular methods to determine the viral etiology of childhood diarrhea in Lanzhou, China, 2005-2007.

Molecular epidemic features and variation of rotavirus among children with diarrhea in Lanzhou, China, 2001-2006.

Background: Human rotavirus (HRV) is the most common pathogen causing severe diarrhea among infants and young children worldwide. This study aims to understand rotavirus epidemiology and its variation in the period of 2001-2006 in Lanzhou, Gansu Province, China, and to provide an epidemiological basis for the development of rotavirus vaccine.

Methods: A total of 1019 stool specimens were collected from patients with acute diarrhea admitted to the First Hospital of Lanzhou University from 2001 to 2006, who were younger than 5 years old.

[A research on rotaviral diarrhea outbreak in Guangxi Province].

Objective: To analyze epidemiological characters of an outbreak of rotavirus diarrhea in Daxing County, Guangxi Province.

Methods: Rotavirus-positive specimens were identified by ELISA kit. G/P typing assays were confirmed with multiplex seminested RT-PCR.

[Characteristics analysis on major genes and the encoded proteins of human G9P[8] rotaviruses LL52696 and LL52727].

Two Rotavirus G9P[8] strains (LL52696 and LL52727) were recognized during a sentinel-based survey in Lulong, China. Phylogenetic analysis of the VP7 gene showed that both strains isolated constituted a divergent genetic cluster distinct from the other G9 strains isolated in China. Analysis of VP4, VP6, and NSP4 genes revealed that these strains were closely related to Lulong strains.

Human bocavirus in children hospitalized for acute gastroenteritis: a case-control study.

Background: Human bocavirus (HBoV) was recently discovered in children with respiratory tract disease and gastroenteritis. The causative role of HBoV in human gastroenteritis remains uncertain, and, to our knowledge, no previous case-control study has studied the relationship between HBoV and gastroenteritis.

Methods: We conducted a case-control study that examined stool samples from 397 children with diarrhea and from 115 asymptomatic control subjects.

Human bocavirus infection in children hospitalized with acute gastroenteritis in China.

Background: Human bocavirus (HBoV) was first identified in children with acute respiratory-tract infections, but recent studies have revealed that HBoV is also frequently detected in fecal specimens from children with gastroenteritis.

Objectives: To investigate the prevalence of HBoV in children hospitalized with gastroenteritis in different areas of China.

Study Design: Employing ELISA, RT-PCR or PCR, we evaluated 1216 fecal samples for common diarrheal agents from children aged less than 5-year-old hospitalized with acute gastroenteritis.

[Genetic variation in VP7 gene of rotavirus serotype G3 predominated in Changchun, China].

Group A rotavirus (RV) is the most important etiologic agent of severe gastroenteritis among children and the development of an effective vaccine becomes the top public health priority. Since survey of RV serotypes circulating in local community is important for introduction or development of RV vaccine, RV serotype G3 had proved as the predominant strain in Changchun from 2001 to 2005. Stool specimens collected from children with acute diarrhea were tested for group A rotavirus by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and RV isolates were typed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) using serotype-specific primers.

Molecular characterization of unusual human G5P[6] rotaviruses identified in China.

Background: We found an unusual human rotavirus, LL36755 of G5P[6] genotype, in a stool sample collected in Lulong County, Hebei Province, China. This is the first detection of rotavirus serotype G5 in Asia.

Objectives: To identify and characterize G5 rotaviruses in 988 stool samples collected from children under 5 years old with acute gastroenteritis.

[Epidemiological investigation of an outbreak of acute gastroenteritis caused by human calicivirus in Lulong County].

Objective: To survey an outbreak of acute gastroenteritis in Lulong County and analyze the cause of the disease.

Methods: Epidemiological methods were applied to investigate an outbreak of acute gastroenteritis occurred in June 2000 in Lulong County. Stool specimens were collected from diarrhea patients and were tested for human calicivirus by ELISA and RT-PCR.

[Sequence analysis of norovirus CHN02/LZ35666 from Lanzhou city of China based on RdRp and VP1 genes].

Sequence analysis of a new norovirus (NV) isolated from Lanzou city of China was performed based on partial sequence of RNA dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) and complete capsid protein (VP1) gene. The isolated strain CHN02/LZ35666 shared high sequence homology with GII-4 NVs. Nucleotide homologies of RdRp region and encoded capsid protein region were 90.

[Investigation of human calicivirus (HuCV) diarrhea among infantile and young children in China, 1999--2005].

Human calicivirus (HuCV) has been well known as an important pathogen of outbreak and sporadic acute nonbacterial gastroenteritis worldwide. To investigate epidemiological feature and genetic diversity of HuCV among children in China, fecal specimens were collected from children under 5 years of age with acute diarrhea at 13 hospitals in different provinces across China. The study was performed year-round from January 1999 to June 2005.

[Rotavirus diarrhea among children in three hospitals under sentinel surveillance, from August 2001 to July 2004].

Objective: To learn the epidemiologic characteristics of rotavirus diarrhea in three hospitals under sentinel surveillance from August 2001 to July 2004 and to provide background information for developing and implementing rotavirus vaccine.

Methods: Data from hospital-based rotavirus surveillance among children < 5 years old hospitalized with acute diarrhea was used. Patients' clinic information and feces specimens were collected.

[Relationship between severity of rotavirus diarrhea and serotype G and genotype].

Objective: To learn the relationship between severity of rotavirus diarrhea and serotype G and genotype P.

Method: The clinical information and fecal specimens of hospitalized children less than 5 years of age with acute diarrhea in four sentinel hospitals were collected from Aug 2001 to July 2003. Specimens were tested and typed for rotavirus.

Novel human rotavirus of genotype G5P[6] identified in a stool specimen from a Chinese girl with diarrhea.

During a rotavirus surveillance conducted in Lulong County, Hebei Province, China, a total of 331 stool specimens collected in 2003 from children under 5 years old with diarrhea were screened. We identified a novel group A human rotavirus of genotype G5P[6]. Phylogenetic analysis confirmed that the VP7 protein of this newly identified strain, LL36755, was closely related to those of the G5 strains.

[Astrovirus infection among hospitalized children with acute diarrhea in seven regions of China, 1998-2005].

Objective: To study the epidemiology and strain variations of astrovirus infection among children under 5 years of age, hospitalized for acute diarrhea in China.

Methods: Inpatients under 5 years of age with acute diarrhea in hospitals of seven provinces between 1998 and 2005 were enrolled in the study Stool specimens were collected and tested for astrovirus using the Dako Amplified IDEIA Astrovirus kits or reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Genetic identities of the strains were determined using RT-PCR with serotype-specific primers and confirmed by sequencing of the RT-PCR products.

The epidemiology and burden of rotavirus in China: a review of the literature from 1983 to 2005.

We reviewed studies of rotavirus in MEDLINE and the Chinese literature to get a preliminary estimate of the burden of rotavirus gastroenteritis in China and the epidemiology of the disease. Studies were selected if they were conducted for a period 1 year or more, had more than 100 patients enrolled, and used an accepted diagnostic test. Overall, in 27 reports of children hospitalized for diarrhea in urban areas and 3 in rural areas, 44 and 33%, respectively, had rotavirus identified as the etiologic agent.

[Etiological study on viral diarrhea among children in Lanzhou, Gansu, from July 2004 through June 2005].

Objective: To study molecular epidemiology of four major etiological viruses among children with acute diarrhea in Lanzhou, Gansu province.

Methods: Stool specimens were collected from all 400 inpatients less than 5 years old with acute diarrhea admitted in Department of Pediatrics, the First Hospital, Lanzhou University from Jul. 2004 through Jun.

[Molecular epidemiology of human caliciviruses diarrhea among infants and young children in Lanzhou from December 2001 to June 2004].

Objective: To investigate the characteristics of human caliciviruses (HuCV) diarrhea among infants and young children with acute diarrhea in Lanzhou, Gansu Province, China by using molecular epidemiologic techniques.

Methods: Stool specimens were collected from both outpatients and inpatients with acute diarrhea in Lanzhou. Enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA) was used to detect rotavirus antigen (RVA).