title: Rotavirus disease burden, Nicaragua 2001-2005: defining the potential impact of a rotavirus vaccination program.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In October 2006, a rotavirus vaccine was introduced in Nicaragua for routine immunization of all children. We document the baseline diarrheal disease burden in Nicaragua prior to the vaccine program to facilitate future studies to measure vaccine impact.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analyzed national data for 2001-2005 on total acute gastroenteritis healthcare visits, hospitalizations, and mortality in Nicaraguan children aged <5 years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Prior to vaccine introduction, by age 5 years, one in four Nicaraguan children required an outpatient consultation, one in 34 were hospitalized, and one in 2487 died from rotavirus-associated diarrhea, representing approximately 41,122 outpatient visits, 4460 hospitalizations, and 60 deaths per year that are preventable through vaccination. Almost half of the total acute gastroenteritis burden was in children <1 year of age. Two distinct seasonal peaks were noted in acute gastroenteritis hospitalizations and deaths.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Existing data sources on all-cause acute gastroenteritis could be useful for establishing diarrhea disease burden and monitoring trends after vaccine introduction. Blunting of winter season peaks in rates of diarrhea, particularly among children aged <1-2 years, would be a useful indicator of impact from rotavirus vaccination.
authors.affiliation: Program for Appropriate Technology in Health, Managua, Nicaragua.
authors.forename: Juan José
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Amador
authors.forename: Joshua
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vasquez
authors.forename: Maribel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Orozco
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pedreira
authors.forename: Omar
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Malespin
authors.forename: Lucia Helena
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: De Oliveira
authors.forename: Jacqueline
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tate
authors.forename: Umesh
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Parashar
authors.forename: Manish
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Patel
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000821:virology; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D017589:Immunization Programs; D007223:Infant; D009527:Nicaragua / Q000453:epidemiology; D012400:Rotavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000821:virology; D022243:Rotavirus Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000276:immunology; D014611:Vaccination
chemical_list: D022243:Rotavirus Vaccines