Abstract
In Belgium, rotavirus vaccination has been recommended and partially reimbursed since October 2006. Through a retrospective survey in 2012, we estimated the coverage rate of the rotavirus vaccination in Flanders among infants born in 2010. Using a standardised questionnaire, 874 families were interviewed at home, collecting information on demographic characteristics, socio-economic background and documented vaccination history (updated from medical files and vaccination database, if needed). Adherence to the recommended age for vaccination (8, 12 and 16 weeks) was also assessed. The coverage rate for two doses of rotavirus vaccination was 92.2% (95% confidence interval: 90.2-93.8). Respectively 31.7% and 10.1% of the children received their first and second dose at the recommended age. Incomplete vaccination was often a deliberate choice of the parents. Only eight children (1%) were vaccinated after the maximum age of 26 weeks. Factors identified by multiple logistic regression as related to incomplete vaccination were: living in the province of Antwerp, unemployed mother, and three or more older siblings in the household. Four years after introduction, the coverage rates were surprisingly high for a vaccine that is not fully reimbursed and not readily available in the vaccinator's fridge, which is the case for the other recommended infant vaccines.
Highlights
Rotavirus is the most common cause of fatal and severe childhood diarrhoea worldwide
This study falls within the ambit of the 2011 conclusion of the Council of the European Union on childhood immunisation which emphasised the need for high quality national data on vaccine coverage rates [7,8]
National coverage estimates on rotavirus vaccination coverage in the United States (US) were reported for the first time in the 2009 National Immunization Survey (NIS): 43.9% of the children born within two years of licensure had full coverage [10]
Summary
Rotavirus is the most common cause of fatal and severe childhood diarrhoea worldwide. In Belgium, the national immunisation technical advisory group (NITAG) recommended rotavirus vaccination in October 2006. If parents wish to have their child vaccinated against rotavirus, they need a prescription for the vaccine, via a well-baby clinic, general practitioner or paediatrician. Both vaccines, Rotarix (twodose schedule) and RotaTeq (three-dose schedule), are only available in private pharmacies in Belgium. Following the national recommendations issued by the NITAG, the first dose of rotavirus vaccine should be administered at eight weeks of age. A minimum interval of four weeks between doses should be respected and the upper age limit is set at six months (24 weeks for the monovalent Rotarix vaccine and 26 weeks for the pentavalent RotaTeq vaccine, according to the recommendations issued in 2009). Concomitant administration of rotavirus vaccine with other infant immunisations is approved [3]
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