[Rotavirus surveillance data from Kunming Children's Hospital, 1998 - 2001].

Objective: To study the epidemiological status on rotavirus diarrhea in Kunming to improve the rotavirus vaccine immunization program.

Methods: A hospital-based sentinel surveillance program for rotavirus was set up among children less than 5 years old with acute diarrhea in Kunming Children's Hospital. Clinical information and fecal specimens were collected and rotavirus were detected by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) and/or enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Positive specimens were further serotyped or genotyped by ELISA and/or RT-PCR.

Results: During the three years of surveillance, 466 specimens were collected. Rotavirus were detected on 246 (52.8%) specimens. 97% of the rotavirus diarrhea cases occurred among children less than 2 years old. There was a peak of admissions for rotavirus diarrhea cases between October and December which accounted for 48% of all the rotavirus hospitalizations each year. Among 204 specimens with G serotyping, the predominant strain was serotype G1 (47.5%) followed by G2 (17.6%), G3 (15.7%), G9 (4.9%) and G4 (1.0%). Mixed infection (2.5%) were rare and 22 specimens (10.8%) remained non-typeable. P genotyping showed P[4], P[8] and P[6] were the most common strains, accounting for 29.3%, 27.6% and 13.8% respectively. P[4]G2 was the most common strain which accounted for 34.1% (14/41) followed by P[8]G1 (29.3%) and P[6]G9 (12.2%). Another 7 uncommon P-G combinations were also identified.

Conclusion: Rotavirus was the major cause of acute diarrhea in Kunming. An effective rotavirus vaccine for prevention and control of rotavirus diarrhea should be developed.