Background: Rotavirus is the primary cause of gastroenteritis in children worldwide and is a leading cause of gastroenteritis in children, with a significant burden. Rotavirus vaccine became available in Ireland in 2016. This study aimed to investigate hospital admissions and seasonal characteristics of rotavirus gastroenteritis in a pre- and post-vaccination period in a single district general hospital.
Methods: In the post-vaccination year, from November 18th 2016 to November 18th 2017, all children up to 3 years of age who presented to Mayo University Hospital with vomiting and diarrhea, were recruited and had their stool tested for rotavirus. Retrospective analysis of hospital data of children of the same age during pre-vaccination years (2014-2016) were used for comparison.
Results: Compared with the pre-vaccination years (2014-2016), the median percentages of reduction of rotavirus positive stool requests and hospital admissions were high, 48.5% and 73%, respectively. In the post-vaccination year, the median percentage of reduction of emergency department presentation (stool requests) with gastroenteritis was 9%. No delay in the onset of RV season or reduction of the peak of RV infection was noted in the post-vaccination year. The duration of rotavirus season in 2016/2017 was short.
Conclusions: Compared with 3 pre-vaccination years, the total number of gastroenteritis presentations, gastroenteritis hospital admissions, and rotavirus positive gastroenteritis cases were all reduced, and the duration of the rotavirus season was shorter.
Keywords: Gastroenteritis; Rotavirus; Vaccination.
© 2022. Crown.