Frequency and Clinical Characteristics of Astrovirus Infections in Children Aged 0 to 5 Years with Diarrhoeal Syndrome in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso (2024-2025)
Acute gastroenteritis most often affects children under 5 years of age and is the cause of the second highest mortality rate in the world after pneumonia. Gastrointestinal infections are therefore a major cause of morbidity and mortality in children under five years old, particularly in developing countries. Among the viral agents responsible for acute gastroenteritis, Astroviruses are frequently detected alongside Rotavirus and Norovirus. In Burkina Faso, in the absence of commonly available diagnostic tests at primary health care facilities, management often relies on empirical treatment without confirmation of the causative agent. This underscores the need to build diagnostic capacity to improve case management and guide public health interventions. This study aimed to evaluate the frequency and clinical characteristics of Astrovirus infections in children from 0 to 5 years old in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. It was a cross-sectional study that took place from August 15, 2024, to January 15, 2025. The study focused on children aged 0 to 5 years. The biological samples were stool taken from sterile jars according to the standards of ordinary examinations in the medical biology laboratory. The results were considered significant when the value of p < 0.05. The detection of Astroviruses was carried out using multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction in real time with a detection kit from Sacace Biotechnologies. A total of 75 cases of acute diarrhea were recorded, including 7 Astrovirus-positive cases with a frequency of 9.3% CI95% [6.8 - 11.8]. Children aged 0 to 24 months were the most affected. The most frequently observed clinical signs in children infected with astroviruses were abdominal pain, diarrhea, vomiting and fever. They affect children aged between 0 and 24 months more often. Abdominal pain, diarrhoea, vomiting and fever were significantly associated with Astrovirus infections. Faced with this situation, appropriate solutions must be considered in order to better protect children under 5 years against diarrhoeal syndromes due to Astrovirus. Strengthened epidemiological surveillance and optimization of vaccination strategies could reduce the burden of Astrovirus infections in Burkina Faso.
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