title: Assessing the impacts of the first year of rotavirus vaccination in the United Kingdom.
abstract: The United Kingdom (UK) added rotavirus (RV) vaccine (Rotarix GlaxoSmithKline) to the national vaccine schedule in July 2013. During the 2012-2014 rotavirus seasons, children presenting to the Bristol Royal Hospital for Children Emergency Department with gastroenteritis symptoms had stool virology analysis (real-time PCR) and clinical outcome recorded. Nosocomial cases were identified as patients with non-gastroenteritis diagnosis testing positive for rotavirus > 48h after admission. In comparison to average pre-vaccine seasons, in the first year after vaccine introduction there were 48% fewer attendances diagnosed with gastroenteritis, 53% reduction in gastroenteritis admissions and a total saving of 330 bed-days occupancy. There was an overall reduction in number of rotavirus-positive stool samples with 94% reduction in children aged under one year and a 65% reduction in those too old to have been vaccinated. In the first year after the introduction of universal vaccination against rotavirus we observed a profound reduction in gastroenteritis presentations and admissions with a substantial possible herd effect seen in older children. Extrapolating these findings to the UK population we estimate secondary healthcare savings in the first year of ca £7.5 (€10.5) million. Ongoing surveillance will be required to determine the long-term impact of the RV immunisation programme.
authors.affiliation: Bristol Royal Hospital for Children, University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust, Bristol, UK.
authors.forename: Robin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Marlow
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Muir
authors.forename: Barry
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Vipond
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lyttle
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Trotter
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Finn
mesh_terms: D001509:Bed Occupancy; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D062665:Epidemiological Monitoring; D005243:Feces / Q000821:virology*; D005260:Female; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D006302:Health Services Research; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D017589:Immunization Programs; D007115:Immunization Schedule; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012401:Rotavirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012400:Rotavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D022243:Rotavirus Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology; D014611:Vaccination / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D022243:Rotavirus Vaccines
keywords: epidemiology; rotavirus; rotavirus infection; sentinel surveillance; vaccine-preventable diseases; vaccines and immunisation