Impact of vaccination uptake on hospitalizations due to rotavirus acute gastroenteritis in 2 different socioeconomic areas of Spain

Abstract

Rotavirus is the leading cause of hospitalization due to acute gastroenteritis (AGE) in infants and toddlers. However, rotavirus vaccination has been associated with a decline in hospitalization rates due to rotavirus AGE. A descriptive retrospective study was conducted to analyze the impact of rotavirus vaccination on the rate of hospitalizations due to AGE among children ≤2 years old in 2 areas of the province of Almería, Spain. After eight years of rotavirus vaccination, rates of hospitalizations due to rotavirus AGE are diminished. This decline is closely related to vaccine coverage in the studied areas.

Keywords: acute gastroenteritis; coverage; diarrhea; hospitalization; rotavirus; uptake; vaccine.

Figure 1.

Rate of all causes AGE hospitalizations 2005–2013 (95% CI) Hospitalizations due to AGE (cases per 1,000 in children <2 y old population) in Hospital Torrecárdenas, Almería city and Hospital Poniente (El Ejido city) between 2005 and 2013. AGE, acute gastroenteritis. Annual rate of hospitalization was estimated using as denominator the number of newborns in birth cohorts during the present year and the previous year, and the obtained figure was divided by 2 CI: Confidence Interval.

Figure 2.

Rate of Rotavirus hospitalizations 2005–2013 (95% CI) Hospitalizations due to Rotavirus (cases per 1,000 in children <2 y old population) in Hospital Torrecárdenas, Almería city and Hospital Poniente (El Ejido city) between 2005 and 2013. AGE, acute gastroenteritis. Annual rate of hospitalization was estimated using as denominator the number of newborns in birth cohorts during the present year and the previous year, and the obtained figure was divided by 2 CI: Confidence Interval.