A prospective evaluation of community acquired gastroenteritis in paediatric practices: impact and disease burden of rotavirus infection.

AIMS To examine the disease burden and epidemiology of community acquired rotavirus gastroenteritis in Austrian children treated in a paediatric practice. METHODS A prospective, population based, multicentre study in four paediatric practices and two children's hospitals (Innsbruck and Leoben). Children </= 48 months of age presenting with gastroenteritis during a six month period of rotavirus peak between December 1997 and May 1998 were included. Prospective testing of stool samples for rotavirus was performed using ELISA. RESULTS A total of 6969 children were enrolled; 171 (2.4%) had community acquired gastroenteritis. Of 144 children who could be included in further analysis, 49 (34%; median age 16.7 months) were rotavirus positive, and 95 (66%; median age 17.0 months) were rotavirus negative. Three of the rotavirus positive children (median age 14.6 months) were hospitalised. The severity of rotavirus positive gastroenteritis was significantly higher than that of rotavirus negative gastroenteritis. The incidence of community acquired gastroenteritis was 4.67 per 100 children per year, and of rotavirus positive gastroenteritis 1.33 per 100 children per year. CONCLUSION Rotavirus is a relevant cause of community acquired gastroenteritis in children aged 4 years and younger treated by a paediatrician. The data can be used as a basis for developing strategies to prevent infection.