Prevalence of Group A Rotavirus, Some Risk Factors and Clinical Signs of the Infection in Children Under Five Years in Yobe State, Nigeria

Diarrhoea in children is caused by variety of disease agent including Rotavirus. With the increase in child mortality rate in the state which has been associated with lack of adequate hygiene’s especially for those displaced from their homes, Rotavirus infection may have often been misdiagnosed since the zoonotic potentials, prevalence in children, associated risk factors and clinical signs have not been fully elucidated in Nigeria. These were determined in children who were presented for treatments for gastroenteritis in Government Hospital in Yobe State, Nigeria between the period of April 2014-May 2016 using structured questionnaire and ELISA kit. Rotavirus was detected in 18.1% (30/166) of the patients, 18.4% (16/87) and 17.7% (14/79) were in males and females respectively, while 17.7% (17/96), 15.4% (8/52), 27.8% (5/18) were for ages (<1-24, 25-48 and 49-60) months old respectively. Rotavirus infection was significantly associated (P ˂ 0.05) with age, day-care, signs of vomiting, mother’s educational status, type of stool and duration, unlike in type of food, drinking water, presence of fever, animal contact and father’s occupation (P > 0.05). Rotavirus is in circulation in the state and the clinical signs and some of the risk factors were significantly associated with the infection, thus will aid in early diagnosis, prevention and control of the virus spread in Nigeria.