Rotavirus gastroenteritis among children aged under 5 years in Al Karak, Jordan

The introduction of a rotavirus vaccine makes it important to determine the need for vaccination in a population. This study in Jordan in 2007–08 determined the incidence and clinical features of rotavirus gastroenteritis among children aged under 5 years admitted to hospital with diarrhoea. Of 148 children, 59 (39.9%) were ELISA-positive for rotavirus in stool samples, predominantly in the age group 2 years. There was a marginally higher rate of fever in the rotavirus cases than the non-rotavirus cases. The lowest rate of infection was in winter. No deaths were recorded among the rotavirus or non-rotavirus groups. Rotavirus vaccine was not in use in Jordan at the time of the study.