OBJECTIVETo investigated the molecular epidemiologic features of viral diarrhea in Chengdu infants and young children, and to establish baseline patterns of etiology, provides the scientific basis for the vaccine development and the epidemic situation control.

METHODSFrom March, 2006 to December, 2008, a total of 376 infants and young children from Chengdu area hospitalized for diarrhea in Chengdu Children's Hospital were enrolled in this study. The stool specimen collected from each patient was tested for rotavirus (RV), Calicivirus (CV), astrovirus (AstV) and adenovirus (Adv) by using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) examination.

RESULTSAmong those 376 cases,there were 142 cases (37.76%) of RV infections,which scattered predominantly in October to December. Among 234 cases RV negativity,there were 29 cases HuCV infections (15.85%), 5 cases AstV infections (1.64%), and 8 cases Adv infections (2.04%).

CONCLUSIONRV appeared to be the main etiological agent of viral diarrhea in Chengdu infants and young children,the predominant serotype of RV were G3, P[8] and P[4],HuCV might be the important etiological agent besides RV.

Adenoviruses, Human ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Caliciviridae ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Child, Preschool ; China ; epidemiology ; Diarrhea ; epidemiology ; virology ; Female ; Genotype ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Mamastrovirus ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Molecular Epidemiology ; Rotavirus ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Virus Diseases ; epidemiology ; virology ; Viruses ; genetics