From March 2002 through February 2004, AGE and non-diarrheal stools were collected from Navajo and White Mountain Apache infants who received placebo during a rotavirus vaccine trial. Case (n = 247) and control (n = 344) specimens were tested for enteric adenovirus, astrovirus, norovirus, rotavirus, and sapovirus with real-time polymerase chain reaction. The odds of AGE were compared with population-averaged logistic regression models.
In 65 % of the cases of AGE (161/247), at least one virus was detected; norovirus (n = 80, 32 % ) and rotavirus (n = 70, 28 % ) were the most common. A virus was detected in 38 % of control specimens (132/344). Detection of ¡°any virus¡± was associated with AGE (OR = 3.22; 95 % CI, 2.11-4.91), as was detection of norovirus (OR = 2.00; 95 % CI, 1.22-3.26) and rotavirus (OR = 2.69; 95 % CI, 1.52-4.79).
This study highlights the significant burden of viral AGE in American Indian infants and identifies pathogen targets for future prevention efforts in this population.