Gastroenteritis in childhood: a retrospective study of 650 hospitalized pediatric patients

Abstract

Gastroenteritis is a common reason for hospital admission in previously healthy children during the first years of life. Rotaviruses were found to be the most common pathogens in our cohort. On the basis of clinical and laboratory parameters it appears possible to distinguish between the different causative agents. This may have implications for hospital hygiene management and for the identification of predictive markers of a severe course.