Prevalence and characterization of rotaviruses in children hospitalized for diarrheal disease in a tertiary care hospital, Pune

Background: Diarrhoea remains the second most common cause of death among children below 5 years globally. Among various enteric pathogens, rotavirus appears to be the most important aetiological agent of acute gastroenteritis in infants and young children. Increased understanding of epidemiology of rotavirus infections is needed to improve the vaccine efficacy. Aim: This study aims to determine prevalence rotavirus infection and prevalent circulating strains of rotavirus in and around Pune. Setting and Design: Prospective hospital-based study. The study was approved by Institutional Ethical Committee. Materialsand Methods: Stool samples (n = 100) were collected from children aged