Prospective study of the burden of acute gastroenteritis and rotavirus gastroenteritis in children less than 5 years of age, in Padova, Italy.
BACKGROUND
Data on the burden of rotavirus gastroenteritis in Europe are needed to help understand the potential impact of introducing new rotavirus vaccines.


METHODS
As part of prospective observational study (Rotavirus gastroenteritis Epidemiology and Viral types in Europe Accounting for Losses in Public Health and Society Study, REVEAL) conducted in 2004--2005 in seven European countries, we studied, the characteristics of acute gastroenteritis and rotavirus gastroenteritis in children less than 5 years in primary care, emergency room and hospital settings (Padova, Italy).


RESULTS
A total of 757 children with acute gastroenteritis were included and enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay (ELISA) results were available for 725 cases. The overall estimated annual incidence for rotavirus gastroenteritis was 4.7%. Overall, rotavirus gastroenteritis was estimated to account for 43.6% of acute gastroenteritis cases. Among children with acute gastroenteritis (AGE) aged 6-23 months, 61.2% were rotavirus positive. Rotavirus gastroenteritis (RVGE) was responsible for 68.8% of hospitalizations, 61% of emergency consultations, and 33% of primary care consultations. The most prevalent serotype was G9 (84.4%) followed by G1 (11.8%). The relative risk for rotavirus gastroenteritis of being referred to hospital after an initial consultation in primary care was 3.37 (95% CI: 1.77-6.43) and 3.38 (95% CI: 2.28-5.01) for emergency room referral. Children with rotavirus gastroenteritis generally had more severe disease than children with rotavirus-negative gastroenteritis.


CONCLUSIONS
Rotavirus accounts for a significant proportion of acute gastroenteritis cases in children less than 5 years in Italy, many of whom require frequent primary care consultations, or care in emergency room or hospital settings.
Giaquinto
C
C
Dept. of Pediatrics, University of Padova, Via Giustiniani 3, 35128, Padova, Italy. carlog@pediatria.unipd.it
Callegaro
S
S
Andreola
B
B
Bernuzzi
M
M
Cantarutti
L
L
D'Elia
R
R
Drago
S
S
De Marchi
A
A
Falconi
P
P
Felice
M
M
Giancola
G
G
Lista
C
C
Manni
C
C
Perin
M
M
Pisetta
F
F
Scamarcia
A
A
Sidran
M P
MP
Da Dalt
L
L
D000208:Acute Disease; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003695:Delivery of Health Care; D005260:Female; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy / Q000821:virology*; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012401:Rotavirus / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012400:Rotavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D012621:Seasons; D012703:Serotyping