Rotavirus in children with diarrhea in Tripoli, Libya

Abstract

The most common cause of acute diarrhea in young children in developed and developing countries are rotaviruses. In developing countries, it is estimated that 20-70% of hospitalizations and close to one million children below the age of five die annually because of rotavirus infections. Of the seven groups (A-G) of rotaviruses, group A is usually the cause of rotavirus-associated diarrhea. Infections due to rotaviruses occur via the fecal-oral route. Previous studies from Libya showed that rotavirus is the leading cause of infectious diarrhea. However, these studies were carried out more than a decade ago.

(Published: 18 February 2011)

Citation: Libyan J Med 2011, 6: 6041 - DOI: 10.3402/ljm.v6i0.6041