Cross-sectional study on the prevalence and associated risk factors of Astrovirus gastroenteritis among children five years and below attending selected health facilities in Plateau State, Nigeria.

Dike, Kingsley U; Ojedele, Richard Olulowo; Imam, Khadijah; Afowowe, Tosin; Dangana, Amos; Omoare, Adesuyi Ayodeji; Ishaleku, David; Pennap, Grace Rinmecit

doi:10.21608/mid.2025.389667.2844

	Cross-sectional study on the prevalence and associated risk factors of Astrovirus gastroenteritis among children five years and below attending selected health facilities in Plateau State, Nigeria.
Microbes and Infectious Diseases
Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available Online from 05 August 2025
Document Type: Original Article
DOI: 10.21608/mid.2025.389667.2844
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Authors
Kingsley U Dike ¹; Richard Olulowo Ojedele ²; Khadijah Imam³; Tosin Afowowe ⁴; Amos Dangana ⁴; Adesuyi Ayodeji Omoare ⁴; David Ishaleku¹; Grace Rinmecit Pennap¹
¹Department of Microbiology Nasarawa State University Keffi Nigeria
²Genomics and Sequencing Research Laboratory, National Reference Laboratory, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, Gaduwa, Abuja, Nigeria
³Genomics and Sequencing Research Laboratory. National Reference Laboratory Abuja, Nigeria
⁴Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Abuja Nigeria
Abstract
Background: Astrovirus is a viral agent that causes gastroenteritis with its attendant morbidity and mortality. The study aimed to determine the prevalence of astrovirus gastroenteritis and associated risk factors in children five years and below. Methods: Watery stool samples were collected from 300 consented children in Plateau State from May May 2022 to May 2023 and screened for astrovirus using real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. A structured questionnaire was used to obtain information about the infection from the children/parents. Results: The overall prevalence of astrovirus was 6.3% (19/300). Females and males each had a prevalence of 6.3% (p=0.997). Children aged 40-49 months had a higher prevalence (11.9%) compared to other age groups (p=0.060). Children resident in urban areas had a higher prevalence (19.7%) than those in the rural areas (2.2%) (p=0.001). The children residing in Plateau-North had a higher prevalence compared to those in other zones and was not associated with the infection after confounding for other variables. Those with abdominal pain had 13.7% (p=0.001). The children that drank tap and stream water appeared to be more vulnerable, with 16.0% (p=0.252) and 31.3%(p=0.042) prevalence of infection. Astrovirus-infected children from mothers/caregivers with formal education and those that practiced non-exclusive breastfeeding had 7.1% (p=0.137) and 7.3% (p=0.265) prevalence, respectively. Conclusion: A prevalence of 6.3% Astrovirus infection was observed and associated risk factors of the infection were children living in urban areas, the presence of abdominal pain, and drinking stream water. More epidemiological studies should be encouraged to assess other risk factors of the infection.
Keywords
Virus; Samples; Cases; Screening; Fecal


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