title: Rotavirus gastroenteritis in Finnish children in 2006-2008, at the introduction of rotavirus vaccination.
abstract: Rotaviruses (RV) are major causative agents of acute gastroenteritis (AGE) requiring hospitalization in children; RV hospitalizations may be largely eliminated by universal mass vaccination with RV vaccine. We conducted a hospital-based prospective survey of AGE in children over 2 RV epidemic seasons, from 2006 to 2008, when the coverage of RV vaccination in Finland increased to 35% of the birth cohort. RVs were detected by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). In the first season, only 38% of AGE cases were RV-positive, and the onset of the RV season was delayed. Type G1P[8], RVs accounted for 40%, G2P[4] for 19%, G3P[8] for 2%, G4P[8] for 2% and G9P[8] for 38%. In the second season, 63% of AGE cases were RV-positive: G1P[8] accounted for 73%, G2P[4] for only 3%, G3P[8] for 4%, G4P[8] for 13%, and G9P[8] had almost disappeared. G2P[4] RV did not become predominant at the coverage level of 29% of G1P[8] human RV vaccine. RV-associated hospitalizations were seen in children up to the age of 9 y. This study forms the epidemiological background for the follow-up of the impact of universal RV vaccination in Finland introduced in 2009.
authors.affiliation: University of Tampere Medical School, Tampere, Finland. sirpa.rasanen@uta.fi
authors.forename: Sirpa
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Räsänen
authors.forename: Suvi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lappalainen
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Halkosalo
authors.forename: Marjo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Salminen
authors.forename: Timo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Vesikari
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000821:virology*; D005838:Genotype; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012401:Rotavirus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012400:Rotavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000821:virology*; D022243:Rotavirus Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology; D014611:Vaccination / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral; D022243:Rotavirus Vaccines