Rotavirus and coronavirus outbreak: etiology of annual diarrhea in Costa Rican children

Abstract

In Costa Rica, an annual outbreak of infant diarrheal disease (December and January) was reported since 1976, and rotavirus was incriminated 1ater as the main etiological agent (1976-1981). Apparently the disease has not been systematically studied in Costa Rica after 1981. For that reason the occurrence of the outbreak was retrospective1y documented for 1993-1995 and etiology was studied in 48 children treated for diarrhea at the Nacional Children Hospital (capital city of San Jose) during December, 1994 and January, 1995. Rotavirus (33%) and coronavirus (27%) were the main agents. To our knowledge, this is the first time that these viruses are incriminated in an outbreak of diarrhea.En Costa Rica se notificó un brote anual de enfermedad diarreica infantil (diciembre y enero) desde 1976, y el rotavirus fue incriminado 1ater como el principal agente etiológico (1976-1981). Al parecer, la enfermedad no se ha sido estudiada sistemáticamente en Costa Rica después de 1981. Por esa razón, la ocurrencia del brote fue retrospectiva1y documentada para 1993-1995 y se estudió la etiología en 48 niños tratados por diarrea en el Hospital Nacional Nacional de Niños (capital San José) durante diciembre de 1994 y enero de 1995. Rotavirus (33%) y coronavirus (27%) fueron los principales agentes. Hasta donde sabemos, es la primera vez que estos virus se incriminan en un brote de diarrea.