Prevalence of group C rotavirus among children in Rhode Island, United States.

Background: Group C rotavirus causes sporadic cases and outbreaks of acute diarrhea in humans but its burden as a cause of severe gastroenteritis in children remains unclear.

Objectives: To investigate the epidemiology and burden of group C rotavirus gastroenteritis among children in Rhode Island, United States.

Study Design: Diarrhea stool specimens from 124 children < or =10 years of age were collected, screened for group C and A rotavirus by EIA specific for each group, and further examined by nested PCR and Southern hybridization using primers and probes specific to the VP7 gene of human group C rotavirus. Group C rotavirus-positive fecal specimens were also examined by EM.

Results: Rotavirus was detected in 73 (59.0%) of 124 fecal samples. These included 53 (42.7%) positive for group A, 5 (4.0%) for group C and 15 (12.1%) for both group A and C rotaviruses. Examination of group C-positive samples by EM revealed the presence of largely empty or damaged rotavirus-like particles.

Conclusion: These findings indicate that group C rotavirus is an important cause or a contributing cause of diarrhea among infants and older children in Rhode Island, United States.