Abstract
Post-mortem fecal samples were collected over a period of several years from 175 infants and young children from metropolitan Washington D.C. who died suddenly, usually in their home. The specimens were tested for diarrhea viruses by direct or immune electron microscopy and a rotavirus enzyme-linked immunoassay. The death of 115 of those studied was anatomically unexplained (SIDS victims). An anatomic cause of death was found for 60 others, including 11 with severe diarrhea and dehydration. Rotaviruses were detected in 5 (45.5%) of those who died with diarrhea and dehydration, and also were found in 5 (4.3%) of the SIDS victims. Non-cultivable 27nm virus was found in two other SIDS victims. Rotavirus-positive individuals who died with frank gastroenteritis and dehydration usually were older (4, 9, 10, 10 and 14 months of age) than the rotavirus-positive SIDS victims (who were 3 weeks, 4 weeks, 7 weeks, 4 months and 4 months of age). Near the time of their death, at least 2 of the rotavirus-positive SIDS victims had diarrhea (one with vomiting, the other with fever), and two others had a respiratory illness. Both of the 27nm infections and 10 of 11 rotavirus infections occurred in the months of December through February. 20% of the 30 infants and young children who died in January had a rotavirus infection at the time of death.
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Brandt, C., Parrott, R., Chandra, R. et al. 1068 DIARRHEA VIRUSES AND SUDDEN INFANT DEATHS. Pediatr Res 19, 288 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198504000-01098
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198504000-01098
