Background and Aims Acute gastroenteritis is responsible for dehydration in many children. The viruses are considered the main agents of gastroenteritis, and these are included by rotavirus, norovirus, adenovirus. Evaluation of the symptoms, clinical findings and hospitalization requirements were aimed in cases of dehydration.

Methods The distribution of age, symptoms, clinical and laboratory findings and hospitalization requirements of viral gastroenteritis cases who have moderate to severe dehydration were evaluated retrospectively. A total of 156 patients with moderate to severe dehydration caused by acute viral gastroenteritis were evaluated. Patients were between 3 months to 16 years of age (mean: 38.7 months). Rotavirus, Norovirus and Adenovirus were detected by immunochromatographic method, as the causes of gastroenteritis.

Results Dehydration were detected in 156 patients with acute gastroenteritis (156/278), which included patients with Rotavirus (48%), Norovirus (41%) and Adenovirus (13.5%), respectively. Norovirus was mostly detected (51.8%) in the first 24 months of age, however, Rotavirus was mostly detected in >24 months of age (61.3%). The common symptoms of all patients were vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain and malaise, although fever was seen mostly the cases with Rotavirus. A total of 59 patients were hospitalized, they were Rotavirus cases mostly (n=35, 59.3%).

Conclusions The main agents of acute gastroenteritis which caused in dehydration were Norovirus and Rotavirus in our patients. Norovirus was the mostly detected agent in infants and young children who were < 24 months of age. Rotavirus was detected in the most of hospitalized patients, it had caused to most of the severe symptoms.