Profile and Trends of Rotavirus Gastroenteritis in Under 5 children in India, 2012 - 2014, Preliminary Report of the Indian National Rotavirus Surveillance Network.

OBJECTIVE:To estimate the burden of rotavirus-associated gastroenteritis in India. METHODS:Hospital based surveillance network was established, with clinical evaluation and laboratory testing for rotavirus among children aged below 5 years hospitalized with acute gastroenteritis. RESULTS:Between September 2012 and December 2014, stool samples from 10207 children were tested and rotavirus was detected in 39.6% of cases. Infections were more commonly seen among younger children (<2 years). Detection rates were higher during cooler months of September February. Among rotavirus infected children, 64.0% had severe or very severe disease. G1P[8] was the predominant rotavirus genotype (62.7%) observed during the surveillance period. CONCLUSIONS:Surveillance data highlights the high rotavirus disease burden and emphasizes the need for close monitoring to reduce morbidity and mortality associated with rotavirus gastroenteritis in India.