Aim: To study seasonal and age features of etiological structure of acute intestinal infections (AII) in the territory of the RF.
Material and methods: A total of 7388 AII inpatients aged from 1 day to 90 years from 7 cities (Moscow, St-Petersburg, Nizhniy Novgorod, Chelyabinsk, Tyumen, Makhachkala and Khabarovsk) of the RF participated in a trial conducted from December 2001 to September 2006 The patients were examined with diagnostic tests based on polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for detection of rotaviruses of group A (RVA), noroviruses, astroviruses, adenoviruses, salmonella, termophilic campilobacteria, shigella and enteroinvasive Escherichia coli (EIEC).
Results: The above agents were detected in 72% children and 52% adults. In children RVA and noroviruses occurred most frequently (29.5% and 11%, respectively). The adults carried most often salmonella (9.3%), noroviruses (8.4%), RVA (7.8%) and Schigella in combination with EIEC (7.0%).
Conclusion: Viral agents are essential or prevailing causative agents of AII at different ages. Seasonal and age-related trends of AII morbidity are characterized.