Contribution of Human Enteric Adenoviruses to Acute Gastroenteritis in the Post-Rotavirus Vaccine Introduction Era in Ghanaian Children

Viruses are the most common causes of acute gastroenteritis (AGE) globally, and rotaviruses have been implicated as the leading cause of AGE in children below the age of five. The rotavirus vaccine, Rotarix®, has been was introduced into the immunization program in Ghana and vaccine effectiveness studies suggest that AGE due to rotavirus infection has decreased significantly. High AGE cases are however still being reported in various health centres. This study hypothesizes that human adenovirus contributes to the reported AGE cases in the post-rotavirus vaccine introduction era, and therefore seeks to investigate human adenoviruses in Ghanaian children under the age of five. Consent will be sought from parents/guardians to take stool samples from children under five years of age, and demographic as well as medical history will also be obtained using a questionnaire. The stool samples will be screened by enzyme immunoassay (EIA)for human adenoviruses, and the genotypes of the adenovirus strains will be determined using molecular techniques. It is expected that humanadenovirus strains that are associated with AGE in Ghanaian children will be characterized, and the contribution of adenoviruses to AGE in Ghana in the post-vaccine introduction era will be determined.