A Cross-sectional Study on the Role of Rotavirus and Microbial Co-infection in Children with Acute Diarrhea in Vietnam

Background: Rotavirus is the leading cause of acute diarrhea in children. Understanding co-infections with other bacterial or viral microorganisms alongside Rotavirus is crucial. Objectives: This study aimed to determine the frequency distribution of Rotavirus infections and related co-infections in children with acute diarrhea. Additionally, it sought to compare 2 groups: Those with Rotavirus mono-infection and those with microbial co-infections in terms of clinical and laboratory characteristics. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we collected a total of 171 rectal swabs at Can Tho Children s Hospital, Can Tho City, Vietnam, from November 2022 to April 2023. We used real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to detect infectious agents. Patients underwent examinations and tests to assess clinical features and laboratory data. Results: Rotavirus was the most commonly detected agent (42.7%). The incidence of co-infection with other bacterial or viral microorganisms alongside Rotaviruswas 45.2%. Acute diarrhea caused by Rotavirus significantly increased the percentage of children with watery stools (P = 0.004) and vomiting (P 0.001) and led to a greater number of loose stools per day (P = 0.007) compared to cases without Rotavirus. However, there were no significant differences in clinical features or laboratory data between cases with Rotavirus mono-infection and those with co-infections involving other bacterial or viral microorganisms. Conclusions: This study sheds light on the prevalence of Rotavirus and co-infections in Vietnam. Among these findings, identifying Rotavirus in children with acute diarrhea is more critical than detecting co-infecting agents.