title: 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.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Rotavirus gastroenteritis remains an important cause of hospitalizations in Spanish children, mostly during the winter season.
authors.affiliation: Preventive Medicine and Public Health Teaching and Research Unit, Health Sciences Faculty, Rey Juan Carlos University, Avda de Atenas s/n, Alcorcón 28402 Madrid, Spain. ana.lopez@urjc.es
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: López-de-Andrés
authors.forename: Rodrigo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jiménez-García
authors.forename: Pilar
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Carrasco-Garrido
authors.forename: Alejandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alvaro-Meca
authors.forename: Patricia Graciela
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Galarza
authors.forename: Angel Gil
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: de Miguel
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003953:Diagnosis-Related Groups; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D017048:Health Care Costs / Q000639:trends; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012400:Rotavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012621:Seasons; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology