OBJECTIVETo learn the relationship between severity of rotavirus diarrhea and serotype G and genotype P.

METHODThe clinical information and fecal specimens of hospitalized children less than 5 years of age with acute diarrhea in four sentinel hospitals were collected from Aug 2001 to July 2003. Specimens were tested and typed for rotavirus. Each child with rotavirus infection was assessed for severity of diarrhea according to the 20-points scoring system of Vesikari.

RESULTSWhen combined with P[8], the severity scores for rotavirus diarrhea of P[8]G1 and P[8]G3 were 13 and 12 points, respectively, and the durations of diarrhea were 6 days and 5 days, respectively. The percentage of fever in patients with diarrhea caused by P[8]G1 was higher than that in those with diarrheas caused by P[8]G3 (97 percent vs. 73 percent). And the highest temperature in the cases with diarrheas caused by G1 and G3 was 39 degrees C and 38.6 degrees C, respectively. When combined with G3, the difference of diarrhea severity scores between P[4]G3 and P[8]G3 was not significant. But duration of diarrhea caused by P[4] was longer than that of diarrheas caused by P[8] (6.5 days vs. 5 days) and the maximum times of vomiting in P[8] cases was higher than in p[4] cases (4 times vs. 3 times per day). There was no significant difference in other clinical features between P[8] and P[4] infected cases.

CONCLUSIONWhen combined with P[8], RV diarrhea caused by G1 was associated with higher severity scores than diarrhea caused by G3. When combined with G3, there was no significant difference in severity scores between P[4] and P[8] infected cases.