Hospitalizations associated with rotavirus gastroenteritis in Spain, 2001-2005

Abstract

Background: This study aims to describe and analyze hospital admissions in Spain due to rotavirus infections among children aged 5 years or under during the period 2001-2005, along with the associated health cost.

Methods: To update estimates of rotavirus hospitalizations rates in Spain, we conducted a retrospective study of 5 years of national hospitalization data associated with acute gastroenteritis using the Minimum Basic Data Set.

Results: During the study period, a total of 17.1% of all admissions due to acute gastroenteritis of any etiology in children aged < or = 5 years were attributable to rotavirus infection as determined by the rotavirus-specific International Classification of Diseases, ninth revision, Clinical Modification code. A mean incidence of 135 hospital admissions attributable to rotavirus per 100,000 children aged < or = 5 years was found. Hospitalizations associated with rotavirus had a marked winter-time seasonality. The estimated cost of hospital admission attributable to rotavirus has risen from 3 million euros estimated for 2001 to almost 7 million euros estimated in 2005.

Conclusion: Rotavirus gastroenteritis remains an important cause of hospitalizations in Spanish children, mostly during the winter season.

Figure 1

Laboratory identifications rotavirus reports compared with hospital admissions attributable to rotavirus (2001–2005). Distribution from year 2001 to 2005 of the laboratory identifications rotavirus reports according to the Microbiologic Information System (MIS) compared with hospital admissions attributable to rotavirus in children ≤ 5 years of age according to Minimum Basic Data Set (MBDS).

Figure 2

Total cost trend for rotavirus-related admissions (2001–2005). Total cost trend for rotavirus-related admissions in children ≤ 5 years-old by age group, from year 2001 to 2005.