title: [Incidence of rotavirus gastroenteritis among children under 5 years consulting a paediatrician or a general practitioner in France].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Rotavirus (RV) is the main infectious agent of severe acute gastroenteritis (AGE) in infants and children under 5 years. Given the recent availability of new vaccines, it is important to accurately assess the incidence of rotavirus gastroenteritis (GERV) and their medical and epidemiological consequences.
  
  
  METHODS
  This work is the French part of study program called SPRIK, a multicenter, prospective, observational study conducted from October 2005 to May 2007 to estimate the annual incidence of GERV within children under 5 years visiting a general practitioner or pediatrician. It presents data collected by 41 general practitioners and 36 paediatricians located throughout the French metropolitan territory. A stool sample was taken for every child. Rotavirus presence was sought by the physician using a rapid immunochromatographic test. French results are presented in this article.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 1648 GEA episodes corresponding to 1463 eligible patients were included in the study mainly from December to May (peak in February-March). The incidence rate of GERV leading to consultations in general practice was 1357 cases per 100,000 patient-years (PY) (1.36%), with a 95% confidence interval of [1345-1368]. The peak incidence occurs before 2 years. GERV accounted for 21% of all GEA cases seen by paediatricians and general practitioners. Patients with GERV were younger (14.1 ± 10.8 versus 18.4 ± 13.9 months for other GEA, P<0.0001) and had more severe clinical symptoms: presence of fever (32.6% versus 20.0%, P<0.0001), behavioural symptoms (45.6% versus 20.8%, P<0.0001) and dehydration (48.7% versus 21.2%, P<0.0001). GERV episodes were considered severe in 79.7% of cases, using the Vesikari scale. More than 86% patients received oral rehydration during the episode and 13 patients (5.8%) were hospitalized. Nearly 80% GERV episodes were considered severe using the Vesikari scale. Main genotypes were G1P[8] rotavirus (44%) and G9P[8] rotavirus (35%) types.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The incidence rate reported in this study is close to results of previous studies done in Europe. The frequency and severity relative to GERV support vaccination in very young children to reduce the burden associated with this pathology.
authors.affiliation: Service de Pédiatrie, Hôpital Louis-Mourier, 178 rue des Renouillers, 92700 Colombes cedex, France.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Parez
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pozzetto
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Texier
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Mory
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Garbarg-Chenon
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Téhard
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000821:virology*; D058005:General Practitioners / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D010372:Pediatrics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012400:Rotavirus Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012621:Seasons