We used Truven Health Marketscan claims database (2008-2011) to compare gastroenteritis rates during January-June among households whose child had received rotavirus vaccine with those whose child did not receive vaccine. Statistically significantly lower rates of hospitalization with a rotavirus gastroenteritis or unspecified-gastroenteritis discharge code occurred in vaccinated households among persons 20-29 years and females 20-29 years (2008/2009), and males 30-39 years (2009/2010). Lower emergency department gastroenteritis rates occurred in vaccinated households among females 20-29 years (2009/2010) and individuals 5-19 years (2010/2011). These data suggest rotavirus vaccination of infants provides indirect protection against moderate-to-severe rotavirus disease in young parents and older siblings.
Keywords: adults; diarrhea; gastroenteritis; household; immunization; indirect protection; rotavirus; rotavirus vaccine.
Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Infectious Diseases Society of America 2014. This work is written by (a) US Government employee(s) and is in the public domain in the US.