LJM 1993-2820 1819-6357 Libyan Journal of Medicine, Vol. 6, No. 0, February 2011, pp. 1–2 sici xxx PUBMED Abbreviation Libyan Journal of Medicine Letter to the Editor Letter to the Editor 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 1. 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 234.Two hundred stool samples were collected between September 2008 and May 2009 from children aged a few days to 60 months with acute gastroenteritis attending the Aljalla Pediatric Hospital, Tripoli, Libya. Samples were examined for group A rotavirus antigens using ELISA (Rotavirus IDEIA Dako, UK). The Epi-2000 software (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, US) was employed for statistical analysis. P-values were calculated using &khgr;²-test and P<.05 was considered statistically significant.Rotavirus was detected in 33% (66/200) of children examined. Rotavirus was observed at closely similar rates among male and female patients, 33.6% (40/119) and 32.1% (26/81), respectively. However, the virus was detected significantly more frequently (P<.04, OR = 2.64) among diarrheic children aged ≤24 months (36.1%, 60/166) than among diarrheic children aged >24 months (17.6%, 6/34). Seventy percent (140/200) of diarrheic children required hospitalization. Rotavirus was detected significantly more frequently (P < .002, OR = 3.33) among hospitalized children (40%, 56/140) than among non-hospitalized children (16.7%, 10/60). It should be noted that hospitalization was not based on ELISA results. The highest frequencies of the virus were detected in December (50%, 3/6), February (37.5%, 24/64), and March (45.2%, 19/42). Table 1 shows the distribution of rotavirus infection among diarrheic children during the study period of 9 months. Month of study No. tested No. positive (%) September 7 1 (14.3) October 5 1 (20.0) November 16 5 (31.3) December 6 3 (50.0) January 35 12 (34.3) February 64 24 (37.5) March 42 19 (45.2) April 17 1 (5.9) May 8 0 (0.0) Total 200 66 (33) A review of the literature 5 showed prevalence rates of 24%–31% for rotavirus in Libyan children with diarrhea. A rate of 33% was found among the population studied in the present investigation. In addition, a significant association of rotavirus with diarrheic children requiring hospitalization was observed. A study from Zliten in Libya reported that 98% of rotavirus-positive children with diarrhea were dehydrated 3. Our findings and those of others from Libya 234 indicate that rotavirus may be responsible for a large part of the morbidity and mortality associated with this syndrome in this country. Such findings support the urgent need to introduce a rotavirus vaccination program in Libya to protect the pediatric population 6. In addition, the health authorities and other related agencies should promote the benefits of breastfeeding and good personal hygiene among child-bearing mothers using the media and other venues (e.g. maternity clinics) to reduce the incidence of rotavirus-associated diarrhea in children less than 2 years of age.Rasha Noori Kalaf
School of Basic Sciences, Academy of Graduate Studies Tripoli, Libya
Omar R. Elahmer
Faculty of Medical Technology, Al-Fateh University Tripoli, Libya;
Abdulaziz A. Zorgani
Faculty of Medicine, Al-Fateh University Tripoli, Libya


Khalifa Sifaw Ghenghesh
Department of Microbiology and Immunology
Faculty of Medicine
Al-Fateh University
Tripoli, Libya
Email: ghenghesh_micro@yahoo.com ParasharUDBreseeJSGentschJRGlassRI. Rotavirus Emerg Infect Dis. 19984 56170 AliMBGhengheshKSAissaRBAbuhelfaiaADufaniM. Etiology of childhood diarrhea in Zliten Libya. Saudi Med J. 200526 175965 GhanimMATaherIAAAhmaidaAITobgiRS. Etiology of childhood diarrhea in Benghazi, Libya Garyounis Med J. 200320 2224 GhengheshKSAbeidSSBaraFBukrisB. Etiology of childhood diarrhoea in Tripoli-Libya Jamahiriya Med J. 20011 2329 GhengheshKSFrankaEATawilKAAbeidSAliMBTaherIA Infectious acute diarrhea in Libyan children: causative agents, clinical features, treatment and prevention Libyan J Infect Dis. 20082 1019 GhengheshKSKreastaMEl-BakoushMTobgiR. Rotavirus-associated gastroenteritis Jamahiriya Med J. 20022 1217