Decline in rotavirus hospitalisations following introduction of Australia's national rotavirus immunisation programme.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the impact of rotavirus immunisation on rotavirus hospitalisations in young children. methods: Annual hospitalisations for rotavirus gastroenteritis to The Children's Hospital at Westmead, a tertiary care paediatric hospital in Sydney, were recorded from 2001 for 6 years prior to and 2.5 years following the introduction of rotavirus vaccines to the National Immunisation Program. Data on hospital-acquired rotavirus gastroenteritis were collected prospectively.


RESULTS
Hospitalisations for rotavirus gastroenteritis declined in the two full rotavirus seasons (2008 and 2009) after vaccine introduction by 75% compared with mean annual hospitalisations from 2001 to 2006. The greatest decline was seen in those <12 months of age (93%), but the reduction occurred consistently across all age groups, even in children not eligible for immunisation, suggesting an effect on herd immunity. A substantial decline in nosocomial rotavirus gastroenteritis was seen from 2007 to 2009, suggesting a reduction in virus transmission in the hospital setting.


CONCLUSIONS
This study demonstrates a substantial reduction in hospitalisations in children of all ages to a large paediatric hospital and reduced nosocomial infections since the introduction of a nationally funded rotavirus immunisation programme in Australia.
National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Locked Bag 4001, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia. kristinm@chw.edu.au
Kristine K
KK
Macartney
Mamta
M
Porwal
Dianne
D
Dalton
Terri
T
Cripps
Trish
T
Maldigri
David
D
Isaacs
Alison
A
Kesson
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000639:trends*; D006801:Humans; D017589:Immunization Programs; D007223:Infant; D009517:New South Wales / Q000453:epidemiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012401:Rotavirus / Q000187:drug effects*