title: Epidemiological changes in rotavirus gastroenteritis in children under 5 years of age after the introduction of rotavirus vaccines in Korea.
abstract: Rotavirus gastroenteritis is the leading cause of severe acute gastroenteritis in children worldwide and is associated with high hospitalization and mortality rates in children younger than 5 years of age. Vaccination is necessary to prevent rotavirus infection. Two live attenuated and orally administered rotavirus vaccines became commercially available in Korea. The aim of this study is to describe epidemiological changes in rotavirus gastroenteritis after the introduction of rotavirus vaccines in Korea. The medical records of 11,199 children younger than 5 years of age and hospitalized for acute gastroenteritis from August 2007 to July 2010 in eight Korean hospitals were reviewed. Rotavirus was detected in stool samples obtained from 2,959 children (26.42 %). The authors evaluated the percentage of rotavirus gastroenteritis among all acute gastroenteritis hospitalizations in eight hospitals located in different geographical areas and analyzed epidemiological changes in rotavirus gastroenteritis according to age, geographical area, and season. According to the findings, the percentage of rotavirus gastroenteritis showed a decrease in children eligible for vaccination during the study period. After introduction of the vaccine, reduced rates of rotavirus detection were observed in all of the geographical areas, and the greatest reduction was observed in Seoul. In Seoul, there was a marked delay of the rotavirus season.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Epidemiologic changes in Korea after the introduction of rotavirus vaccine are consistent with changes observed in other countries.
authors: Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, 222 Banpodaero, Seochogu, Seoul 137-701, Republic of Korea.
authors: Ui Yoon
authors: UY
authors: Choi
authors: Soo Young
authors: SY
authors: Lee
authors: Sang Hyuk
authors: SH
authors: Ma
authors: Young Taek
authors: YT
authors: Jang
authors: Jae Young
authors: JY
authors: Kim
authors: Hwang Min
authors: HM
authors: Kim
authors: Jong Hyun
authors: JH
authors: Kim
authors: Dong Soo
authors: DS
authors: Kim
authors: Yong Soo
authors: YS
authors: Kim
authors: Jin Han
authors: JH
authors: Kang
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012400:Rotavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D022243:Rotavirus Vaccines; D012621:Seasons
chemical_list: D022243:Rotavirus Vaccines