OBJECTIVES: to establish rotavirus incidence in diarrheic diseases in children from 0 to five years of age, with moderate and severe malnutrition hospitalized at Instituto Materno Infantil Prof. Fernando Figueira (IMIP). METHODS: a descriptive case study series was performed from August 2004 to June 2005. Fifty children comprised the study. A pre-codified questionnaire was used to build a data base on the Epi-info version 6.0 software. Stool samples were analyzed and the positive ones were selected by electronic microscopy for rotavirus and then tested by enzymatic immunoassay. RESULTS: the incidence of rotavirus in the studied group was of 24.0%. The families were of low income, 96% had per capita income below R$150.00. Near two thirds of the children (60.4%) were breast feed for less than three months and 10% of them had never been vaccinated. CONCLUSIONS: the study contributes to the etiology of diarrheic disease in malnourished children, nevertheless larger series are required to validate the results.
Diarrhea infantile; Rotavirus; Child Nutrition disorders
