ASYMPTOMATIC ROTAVIRUS INFECTION WITHIN BENIN-CITY URBAN-COMMUNITY, NIGERIA

This study was carried out in Benin City urban community, Nigeria as a follow-up of an earlier study carried out on patients admitted to the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, The aim of the present study w as to determine the prevalence of asymptomatic rotavirus infection amo ngst urban children and adults. Eight hundred and twenty one subjects from 200 homes were screened for rotavirus infection between August an d December 1990. The 821 stool samples collected from the subjects (54 1 children and 280 adults) were subjected to studies at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital. Detection of rotavirus antigen was done b y the ELISA method. The overall prevalence of asymptomatic rotavirus i nfection in this study was 30.8%. The results reflect a high source of reservoir for spread of rotavirus infection within the community.