title: Effectiveness of rotavirus vaccination in prevention of hospital admissions for rotavirus gastroenteritis among young children in Belgium: case-control study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effectiveness of rotavirus vaccination among young children in Belgium.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective case-control study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Random sample of 39 Belgian hospitals, February 2008 to June 2010.
  
  
  METHODS
  215 children admitted to hospital with rotavirus gastroenteritis confirmed by polymerase chain reaction and 276 age and hospital matched controls. All children were of an eligible age to have received rotavirus vaccination (that is, born after 1 October 2006 and aged ≥ 14 weeks).
  
  
  METHODS
  Vaccination status of children admitted to hospital with rotavirus gastroenteritis and matched controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  99 children (48%) admitted with rotavirus gastroenteritis and 244 (91%) controls had received at least one dose of any rotavirus vaccine (P<0.001). The monovalent rotavirus vaccine accounted for 92% (n=594) of all rotavirus vaccine doses. With hospital admission as the outcome, the unadjusted effectiveness of two doses of the monovalent rotavirus vaccine was 90% (95% confidence interval 81% to 95%) overall, 91% (75% to 97%) in children aged 3-11 months, and 90% (76% to 96%) in those aged ≥ 12 months. The G2P[4] genotype accounted for 52% of cases confirmed by polymerase chain reaction with eligible matched controls. Vaccine effectiveness was 85% (64% to 94%) against G2P[4] and 95% (78% to 99%) against G1P[8]. In 25% of cases confirmed by polymerase chain reaction with eligible matched controls, there was reported co-infection with adenovirus, astrovirus and/or norovirus. Vaccine effectiveness against co-infected cases was 86% (52% to 96%). Effectiveness of at least one dose of any rotavirus vaccine (intention to vaccinate analysis) was 91% (82% to 95%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Rotavirus vaccination is effective for the prevention of admission to hospital for rotavirus gastroenteritis among young children in Belgium, despite the high prevalence of G2P[4] and viral co-infection.
authors.affiliation: Centre for the Evaluation of Vaccination, Vaccine and Infectious Disease Institute, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
authors.forename: Tessa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Braeckman
authors.forename: Koen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Van Herck
authors.forename: Nadia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Meyer
authors.forename: Jean-Yves
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Pirçon
authors.forename: Montse
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Soriano-Gabarró
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Heylen
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zeller
authors.forename: Myriam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Azou
authors.forename: Heidi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Capiau
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: De Koster
authors.forename: Anne-Sophie
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Maernoudt
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Raes
authors.forename: Lutgard
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Verdonck
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Verghote
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vergison
authors.forename: Jelle
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Matthijnssens
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Van Ranst
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Van Damme
mesh_terms: D017668:Age of Onset; D001530:Belgium / Q000453:epidemiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002675:Child, Preschool; D017281:Cost of Illness; D005260:Female; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000821:virology; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012400:Rotavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D022243:Rotavirus Vaccines; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014611:Vaccination / Q000592:standards
chemical_list: D022243:Rotavirus Vaccines