Norovirus and Rotavirus--two major causative agents of sporadic viral gastroenteritis in hospitalized Polish children.

Objective: The aim of the study was to establish the main etiologic agents of acute viral gastroenteritis and to asses the severity of illness associated with the different viral agents of gastroenteritis in children hospitalized during spring/summer season 2008.

Methods: 181 stool specimens were collected from children under 5 years of age, hospitalized with acute viral diarrhea from April to September 2008. Commercial enzyme immunoassay kits were used to detect noroviruses. The immunochromatographic tests for combined detection of rotaviruses and adenoviruses were performed routinely in our department in all in-patients suspected for viral gastroenteritis.

Results: A viral etiologic agents were detected in 108 of 181 (59.7%) samples tested. Dual viral pathogens (rotavirus and norovirus) were found in 3 of 181 (1.7%) samples. Rotavirus was the most common viral pathogen found in the study group (86/181; 47.5%), followed by NV (19/181; 10.5%) and adenoviruses (3/181; 1.7%). Approximately, 60% of acute gastroenteritis episodes occurring in children less than 5 years of age were accounted for by infection due to rotavirus and/or norovirus. Norovirus cases were clinically indistinguishable from those of rotavirus origin in children aged less than 2 years whereas they were slightly milder in older group of patients.

Conclusions: Rotavirus infections are leading cause of children's hospitalization in spring months whereas Norovirus infections during spring/summer time. There is a great need to apply molecular diagnostic tools to determine the actual and monitoring the changing etiology of acute enteritis in Polish population.