Norovirus linked to diarrhea-associated benign infantile seizures

Children with acute viral gastroenteritis caused by norovirus had higher incidence of convulsion and longer hospital stays compared with those with gastroenteritis caused by rotavirus, results of a study indicated.

Although rotavirus infection was more prevalent and more severe in terms of the frequency and duration of vomiting, fever, abdominal pain and overall disease severity among the 353 children observed, 29.7% of the 64 patients with norovirus infection experienced convulsions compared with 5% of the 101 patients with rotavirus infection (P< .001).

Longer mean duration of hospital stays (6 days vs. 5 days; P<.001) may be attributable to high rates of convulsions among the patients with norovirus, according to the researchers, but this must be confirmed with further studies. Most norovirus strains detected among study patients were part of the GGII genogroup, data indicated.

“There is no vaccine available yet to prevent norovirus infection, but the epidemiology of norovirus infection after universal use of rotavirus vaccine should be carefully monitored,” the researchers wrote.

Chen SY. Clin Infect Dis. 2009;doi:10.1086/597256.