Astrovirus infection in young Kenyan children with diarrhoea
| dc.contributor.author | Kiulia, Nicholas M. | |
| dc.contributor.author | Mwenda, Jason M. | |
| dc.contributor.author | Nyachieo, Atunga | |
| dc.contributor.author | Nyaundi, Julia K. | |
| dc.contributor.author | Steele, Andrew Duncan | |
| dc.contributor.author | Taylor, Maureen B. | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2008-02-26T08:20:07Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2008-02-26T08:20:07Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2007-06 | |
| dc.description.abstract | Human astroviruses (HAstV) have been commonly identified worldwide as important aetiological agents of acute gastroenteritis in all age groups including the young, elderly and immunocompromised. However, limited data exist on the prevalence of this important pathogen in Kenya. The aim of this study was therefore to determine the prevalence of astrovirus (AstV) infection in Kenyan children younger than 10 years of age with diarrhoea. During the period February 1999 to September 2005, stool samples were collected from 476 children attending clinics in Nairobi (and its environs) and the Maua Methodist Hospital, Meru North, Kenya. The faecal specimens were tested by a commercial enzyme immunoassay kit for HAstV. AstV prevalence rates were found to be 6.3%. There was significantly high prevalence of AstV infection in children 5 years [5.3% (25/476)] than those >5 years [0.2% (1/476)] (p < 0.01). Also, we showed a significantly high prevalence of AstV infection in children of 5 years [5.8% (20/341)] in Nairobi (urban setting) as compared with those of similar age in Maua (a rural setting) [3.7% (5/135)] (p < 0.01). This study indicates that HAstV is an important pathogen associated with diarrhoea in young Kenyan children. | en |
| dc.description.sponsorship | This study was funded in part by grants from the Poliomyelitis Research Foundation and NEPAD/National Research Foundation (NRF), South Africa (Prof MB Taylor). We thank Prof. Maureen Taylor for providing the Dako EIA kits used in this study. We acknowledge the technical assistance provided by Erick Omolo and Mary Galo. Thanks also to Medical Officer in Charge Maua Methodist Hospital (MMH), and Provincial Medical Officer, Nairobi for providing permission to collect faecal samples. The parents and children for their contributions to the success of this study. | en |
| dc.format.extent | 47745 bytes | |
| dc.format.mimetype | application/pdf | |
| dc.identifier.citation | Kiulia, NM, Mwenda, JM, Nyachieo, A, Nyaundi, JK, Steele, AD & Taylor, MB 2007, 'Astrovirus infection in young Kenyan children with diarrhoea', Journal of Tropical Pediatrics, vol. 53, no. 3, pp. 206-209. [http://tropej.oxfordjournals.org/] | en |
| dc.identifier.issn | 1465-3664 | |
| dc.identifier.other | 10.1093/tropej/fml093 | |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/2263/4589 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | en |
| dc.publisher | Oxford University Press | en |
| dc.rights | Oxford University Press. This is a pre-copy-editing, author-produced PDF of an article accepted for publication in Journal of Tropical Pediatrics following peer review. The definitive publisher-authenticated version is available online at: http://tropej.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/53/3/206 | en |
| dc.subject | Astrovirus | en |
| dc.subject.lcsh | Diarrhea in children -- Kenya | |
| dc.subject.lcsh | Gastroenteritis in children -- Kenya | |
| dc.title | Astrovirus infection in young Kenyan children with diarrhoea | en |
| dc.type | Postprint Article | en |