Objective: Viral gastroenteritis is among the significant causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Rotavirus and adenovirus are the leading causes of viral gastroenteritis. Viral gastroenteritis is influenced by environmental conditions. Our aim in the present study was to investigate the results of rotavirus and adenovirus antigen tests at the Medical Microbiology Laboratory of Bursa Uludağ University Hospital and evaluate the change in these pathogens during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: Rotavirus and adenovirus antigens were detected using the Acro Rapid test (Acro Biotech, USA), which was based on the immunochromatographic method. Besides, the patients’ demographic characteristics and the results of direct microscopic examination of the samples were retrospectively evaluated from the hospital’s electronic records.

Results: Pre-pandemic rotavirus positivity was 10.4%, and adenovirus positivity was 7.5%. However, both rotavirus (5.1%) and adenovirus (3.5%) positivity decreased significantly during the pandemic (p=0.001). Rotavirus and adenovirus were detected together in 3.2% of the samples. The gender, age, and direct microscopic examination results among rota and adenovirus-positive patients were similar. Besides, positivity rates did not differ significantly by age group. Rotavirus positivity was highest in spring and winter (p=0.005). Adenovirus positivity was higher in spring and summer, but the positivity rates did not significantly differ by season (p=0.167).

Conclusion: It was determined in the present study that rotavirus and adenovirus gastroenteritis decreased during the pandemic. The social isolation measures and changing behavior models applied to combat the COVID-19 pandemic may have caused this situation.