Implementation Of Rotavirus Vaccination Research Articles

Prevalence and genetic diversity of rotavirus among children under 5 years of age in China: a meta-analysis.

This meta-analysis was performed to assess the prevalence and circulating strains of rotavirus (RV) among Chinese children under 5 years of age after the implantation of the RV vaccine. Studies published between 2019 and 2023, focused on RV-based diarrhea among children less than 5 years were systematically reviewed using PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, CNKI, Wanfang and SinoMed Data. We synthesized their findings to examine prevalence and genetic diversity of RV after the RV vaccine implementation using a fixed-effects or random-effects model. Seventeen studies met the inclusion criteria for this meta-analysis. The overall prevalence of RV was found to be 19.00%. The highest infection rate was noted in children aged 12-23months (25.79%), followed by those aged 24-35 months (23.91%), and 6-11 months (22.08%). The serotype G9 emerged as the most predominant RV genotype, accounting for 85.48% of infections, followed by G2 (7.70%), G8 (5.74%), G1 (4.86%), and G3 (3.21%). The most common P type was P[8], representing 64.02% of RV cases. Among G-P combinations, G9P[8] was the most frequent, responsible for 78.46% of RV infections, succeeded by G8P[8] (31.22%) and G3P[8] (8.11%). Despite the variation of serotypes observed in China, the G1, G2, G3, G8 and G9 serotypes accounted for most RV strains. The genetic diversity analysis highlights the dynamic nature of RV genotypes, necessitating ongoing surveillance to monitor changes in strain distribution and inform future vaccine strategies.

Etiology of diarrheal hospitalizations following rotavirus vaccine implementation and association of enteric pathogens with malnutrition among under-five children in India

Malnourished children are at higher risk of mortality and morbidity following diarrheal illness and certain enteropathogens have been associated with malnutrition in children. Very few studies have comprehensively looked at the etiology of diarrhea in malnourished children and most have used conventional diagnostic methods with suboptimal sensitivity. We used a highly sensitive molecular approach against a broad range of pathogens causing diarrhea and examined their association with malnutrition. In addition, we looked at the pathogen diversity of pediatric diarrhea, three years after the nationwide rotavirus vaccine introduction to understand the evolving landscape of pathogens, which is crucial for planning strategies to further reduce the diarrhea burden. Clinical details and diarrheal stool samples were collected from hospitalized children aged < 5 years from three sentinel sites in India for a period of one year. The samples were tested by qPCR for 16 established causes of diarrhea using TaqMan Array Cards. A total of 772 children were enrolled, from whom 482 (62.4%) stool specimens were tested. No specific pathogen was associated with diarrhea among children with acute or chronic malnutrition compared to those with better nutritional status. Overall, adenovirus was the leading pathogen (attributable fraction (AF) 16.9%; 95% CI 14.1 to 19.2) followed by rotavirus (AF 12.6%; 95% CI 11.8 to 13.1) and Shigella (AF 10.9%; 95% CI 8.4 to 16.4). The majority of diarrhea requiring hospitalization in children aged < 2 years could be attributed to viruses, while Shigella was the most common pathogen among children aged > 2 years. These data on the prevalence and epidemiology of enteropathogens identified potential pathogens for public health interventions.

Understanding rapid implementation from discovery to scale: Rwanda’s implementation of rotavirus vaccines and PMTCT in the quest to reduce under-5 mortality

BackgroundOver the last eight decades, many evidence-based interventions (EBIs) have been developed to reduce amenable under-5 mortality (U5M). Implementation research can help reduce the lag between discovery and delivery, including as new EBIs emerge, or as existing ones are adapted based on new research. Rwanda was the first low-income African country to implement the rotavirus vaccine (RTV) and also adopted Option B+ for effective prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) before the World Health Organization’s (WHO) recommendation. We use implementation research to identify contextual factors and strategies associated with Rwanda’s rapid uptake of these two EBIs developed or adapted during the study period.MethodsWe conducted a mixed methods case study informed by a hybrid implementation research framework to understand how Rwanda outperformed regional and economic peers in reducing U5M, focusing on the implementation of health system-delivered EBIs. The research included review of existing literature and data, and key informant interviews to identify implementation strategies and contextual factors that influenced implementation outcomes. We extracted relevant results from the broader case study and used convergent methods to understand successes and challenges of implementation of RTV, a newly introduced EBI, and PMTCT, an adapted EBI reflecting new research.ResultsWe found several cross-cutting strategies that supported the rapid uptake and implementation of PMTCT, RTV, and leveraging facilitating contextual factors and identifying and addressing challenging ones. Key implementation strategies included community and stakeholder involvement and education, leveraging of in-country research capacity to drive adoption and adaptation, coordination of donors and implementing partners, data audit and feedback of coverage, a focus on equity, and integration into pre-existing systems, including community health workers and primary care. The availability of donor funding, culture of evidence-based decision-making, preexisting accountability systems, and rapid adoption of innovation were facilitating contextual factors.ConclusionImplementation strategies which are generalizable to other settings were key to success in rapidly achieving high acceptability and coverage of both a new and an evolving EBI. Choosing strategies which leverage their facilitating factors and address barriers are important for other countries working to accelerate uptake of new EBIs and implement needed adaptations based on emerging evidence.

Rotavirus genotype diversity in Tanzania during Rotavirus vaccine implementation between 2013 and 2018

The study aims to determine Rotavirus genotypes between 2013 and 2018 during implementation of ROTARIX vaccine in Tanzania. The analysis of surveillance data obtained between 2013 and 2018 was done to determine circulating genotypes after introduction of Rotarix vaccine. From 2013 to 2018, a total of 10,557 samples were collected and screened for Rotavirus using an enzyme immunoassay. A significant decrease in Rotavirus positivity (29.3% to 17.8%) from 2013 to 2018 (OR 0.830, 95% CI 0.803–0.857, P < 0.001) was observed. A total of 766 randomly selected Rotavirus positive samples were genotyped. Between 2013 and 2018, a total of 18 Rotavirus genotypes were detected with G1P [8] being the most prevalent. The G1P [8] strain was found to decrease from 72.3% in 2015 to 13.5% in 2018 while the G9P [4] strain increased from 1 to 67.7% in the same years. G2P [4] was found to decrease from 59.7% in 2013 to 6.8% in 2018 while G3P [6] decreased from 11.2% in 2014 to 4.1% in 2018. The data has clearly demonstrated that ROTARIX vaccine has provided protection to varieties of the wild-type Rotavirus strains. Continuous surveillance is needed to monitor the circulation of Rotavirus strains during this era of vaccine implementation.

The impact of rotavirus vaccination on acute diarrhea in Thai children under 5 years of age in the first year of universal implementation of rotavirus vaccines in the National Immunization Program (NIP) in Thailand: a 6-year analysis

BackgroundTwo types of rotavirus vaccines (RVs), Rotarix (RV1) and RotaTeq (RV5), were licensed as optional vaccines in 2012 and became part of the National Immunization Program (NIP) in the fiscal year 2020 in Thailand. The main objective was to evaluate the impact of rotavirus vaccines on the burden of acute diarrheal severity ranging from outpatient visits, diarrheal-related admission or deaths in the pre-NIP period (fiscal year 2015–2019) and in the fiscal year 2020. The minor objectives were assessed on the monthly admission rate, rotavirus vaccine coverage rate and rotavirus vaccine completed dose (RotaC).MethodsData regarding OPD, admission, and death cases under the Thailand National Health Coverage (NHC) from fiscal year 2015–2020, which were recorded as International Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problem 10th (ICD-10), were analyzed.ResultsThe burden of diarrheal-related disease diminished after the rotavirus vaccine was introduced in the fiscal year 2020 when compared to the previous 5 fiscal years.The OPD visit rate decreased from 10.1 to 8.3 visits per 100 person-years (P < 0.001), or a 17.8% reduction (incidence rate ratio (IRR) = 0.82; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.81 to 0.82). The admission rate significantly declined from 31.4 to 30.5 cases per 1,000 person-years, (P < 0.001), or a 2.9% reduction (IRR = 0.97; 95% CI: 0.96 to 0.98). The diarrheal-related mortality rate also subsided from 10.2 to 8.1 cases per 100,000 person-years (P 0.3), or a 20.0% reduction (IRR = 0.88; 95% CI: 0.50 to 1.22). The major population in both admissions and deaths was infants under 1 year of age (P < 0.001). Seasonality was seen as a constant bimodal pattern, with a significant decrease in monthly admissions after 6 months of rotavirus vaccine introduction to NIP (P < 0.001). RotaC was 37.4% in the first year of NIP.ConclusionsThe rotavirus vaccine had a potential benefit for reducing the diarrheal disease burden, especially in infants under one year of age. Seasonality outbreaks of acute diarrhea subsided after the rotavirus vaccine was introduced. The RotaC was fairly low in the first year of the NIP. The quality of the rotavirus vaccine should be warranted.Trial registrationNumber TCTR20220120003, date of registration: 20/01/2022, site: Thai Clinical Trials Registry.

The impact of rotavirus vaccination in Italy: an eleven-year (2009-2019) nationwide analysis

Abstract Although the positive effects of the introduction of rotavirus (RV) vaccination in Italy, a national updated analysis of its effect in still lacking to date. This study aims to analyze the implementation of rotavirus vaccination in Italy, evaluating its impact on discharges for acute pediatric gastroenteritis. A retrospective analysis including hospital discharge records and data on vaccination coverage for children aged 0-71 months from 2009 to 2019 was conducted. We examined trend in hospital discharge standardized incidence before and after vaccine introduction using a negative binomial mixture model with fixed effects to evaluate the impact of universal vaccination. The percentage of vaccination coverage increased over the years, from &amp;lt; 5% between 2009 and 2013 to 26% in 2017. After the inclusion to the National Im-munization Plan, in 2019 over 70% of children received the vaccine. In the first phase (2009-2013), the standardized incidence of discharges was 16.6/100,000 inhabitants; it decreased in the second phase (2014-2017) reaching 14.1/100,000 inhabitants. During the third phase (2018-2019) it significantly decreased to 9.9/100,000 inhabitants. In this phase, about 15% of the estimated hospital discharges were avoided compared with those estimated using the first phase data. The implementation of rotavirus vaccination reduced acute pediatric gastroenteritis incidence discharges in children aged 0-71 months. Further efforts are needed to continue monitoring the vaccination effect over time and to increase vaccination coverage. Key messages • The implementation of Rotavirus vaccination in Italy resulted in a reduction of acute pediatric gastroenteritis. • Further efforts are needed to maintain high vaccination coverages, thus reducing the negative impact of rotavirus disease.

The results of rotavirus vaccine implementation in the Republic of Moldova

The Republic of Moldova was one of the first countries with different incomes in the European region of the World Health Organization to introduce the rotavirus vaccine (July 2012). Intended purpose to evaluate the impact of the rotavirus vaccination program and to estimate the effectiveness of the rotavirus vaccine. Surveillance of rotavirus gastroenteritis was carried out in 2 hospitals of the capital Chisinau since September 2009. Monthly age-related rotavirus admissions were examined before and after the introduction of rotavirus vaccination using interrupted time-series molecular biology analyses. We conducted a case-control study of vaccine efficacy by comparing patients with rotavirus case with test-negative participants. Coverage with at least 1 dose of vaccine increased from 35% in the first year to 55% in the second year for children under 1 year of age. The percentage of positive admissions for rotavirus decreased from 45% in the post-vaccination period to 25%. Rate reduction of 36% (confidence interval [CI] 95%) in the first year and 14% (rate reduction, 67%) in the second year after vaccine introduction, among children under 5 years of age. The most pronounced reductions were among children up to 1 year old. These significant reductions in gastroenteritis among vaccinated cohorts with age for vaccination suggest indirect benefits. The effectiveness of the two-dose vaccine was 79% against hospitalization with rotaviruses and 84% against cases with moderate to severe manifestations. The results obtained consistently indicate the profound impact on the direct and group immunity of the rotavirus vaccination program in children up to 5 years of age. There remains the potential for further disease reduction.

Frequency of Rotavirus and Adenovirus in Children with Diarrhea

ABSTRACT Aim: The aim of this study is retrospective evaluation of the frequency of rotavirus and adenovirus in stool, and their distribution according to gender, age and seasons in children with diarrhea admitted at outpatients or hospitalized in our hospital. Material and Methods: Stool samples of patients aged between 0-18 years received at the Medical Microbiology Laboratory between 2021–2022 were evaluated for rotavirus–adenovirus. Rotavirus and adenovirus antigens were determined qualitatively by immunochromatographic cassette test method. Chi-square test was used in the statistical analysis. Results: A total of 1148 stool samples of pediatric patients were received by our laboratory during these two years for rotavirus and adenovirus antigen test. Of 1148 patients, 8.6% were positive for rotavirus, 5.1% for adenovirus, and 0.6% for both rotavirus and adenovirus antigens. Rotavirus and adenovirus was positive in 7.2% and 5.6% of males, respectively, and 10.6% and 4.5% of females, and there were no statistically significant differences. Rotavirus was most frequently found in the age group 3-5 years (11.6%) and adenovirus was most frequently found in the age group 6-9 years (8.4%), with no significant difference. Rotavirus was most frequently detected in spring (12.9%) while adenovirus was found most frequently in winter (8.1%), without significant differences. Antigen positivity was 4.1% and 4.9% in outpatients for rotavirus and adenovirus, respectively, and 15.1% and 5.5% in hospitalized patients. Rotavirus positivity was significantly higher in hospitalized patients than outpatients, and adenovirus positivity did not show a significant difference. Conclusion: We found that rotavirus and adenovirus were significant agents causing diarrhea in children, especially those younger than 5 years old, and that its frequency increased in winter and spring, and as rotavirus is a cause of hospitalization, implementation of rotavirus vaccine into routine vaccination programs seem to be beneficial for patients.

Molecular characterization of human adenovirus causing infantile acute gastroenteritis in Venezuela before and after rotavirus vaccine implementation

Human adenoviruses (HAdV) of species F are commonly involved in pediatric acute gastroenteritis (AGE). The real impact on Venezuelan health is unknown. To investigate the prevalence and molecular diversity of HAdV in Venezuela, 630 fecal samples collected from children with AGE in 3 cities, from 2001 to 2013, were tested by PCR. Species F and types F40/41 were identified by REA. HAdV was detected in 123 cases (19.5%), most from outpatient females under 24 months old. A progressive and substantial increase in the detection rate was observed over time, significantly higher in rotavirus vaccinated than unvaccinated children (28.4% vs. 9.5%, P=0.00019). Phylogenetic analysis of 28 randomly selected genomes showed high similarity among HAdV-F40/41 and those worldwide. HAdV-F of type 41 prevailed (79.8%) and clustered into 2 intratypic major clades. The significant involvement of HAdV-F41 in AGE suggests the importance of actively monitoring viral agents other than rotavirus, especially after vaccine introduction.

Genetic Diversity of Rotaviruses Circulating in Pediatric Patients and Domestic Animals in Thailand.

Rotavirus A is a highly contagious virus that causes acute gastroenteritis in humans and a wide variety of animals. In this review, we summarized the information on rotavirus described in the studies in the last decade (2008 to 2021) in Thailand, including the prevalence, seasonality, genetic diversity, and interspecies transmission. The overall prevalence of rotavirus infection in humans ranged from 15-33%. Rotavirus infection was detected throughout the year and most frequently in the dry and cold months, typically in March. The diversity of rotavirus genotypes varied year to year and from region to region. From 2008 to 2016, rotavirus G1P[8] was detected as the most predominant genotype in Thailand. After 2016, G1P[8] decreased significantly and other genotypes including G3P[8], G8P[8], and G9P[8] were increasingly detected from 2016 to 2020. Several uncommon rotavirus strains such as G1P[6], G4P[6], and G3P[10] have also been occasionally detected. In addition, most studies on rotavirus A infection in animals in Thailand from 2011 to 2021 reported the detection of rotavirus A in piglets and canine species. It was reported that rotavirus could cross the host species barrier between humans and animals through interspecies transmission and genetic reassortment mechanisms. The surveillance of rotavirus infection is crucial to identify the trend of rotavirus infection and the emergence of novel rotavirus genotypes in this country. The data provide information on rotavirus infection and the diversity of rotavirus genotypes circulating in the pre-vaccination period, and the data will be useful for the evaluation of the effectiveness of rotavirus vaccine implementation in Thailand.

Impact of rotavirus vaccine implementation on Israeli children: a comparison between pre- and post-vaccination era.

Worldwide rotavirus vaccination has resulted in a substantial decrease in rotavirus-induced severe gastroenteritis and related hospitalizations among children. Still, the characterization of patients warranting hospitalization needs to be further elucidated. The purpose of the study is to compare the clinical and laboratory features of children hospitalized with acute rotavirus infection before and after the introduction of routine vaccination. This is a retrospective observational study. Participants were pediatric patients who presented to the Bnai ZionMedical Center pediatric emergency department and were diagnosed with rotavirus acute gastroenteritis between 2017 and 2019. During the pre-vaccination period (2007-2009), 114 infants and young children (median age: 14months, range: 1-72months; 59 male, 55 female) were hospitalized for rotavirus-induced acute gastroenteritis with a rate of 11.71 positive rotavirus tests per 1000 emergency room visits. In the post-vaccination period (2012-2019), 168 infants and young children (median age: 17months, range: 0-84months; 90 male, 78 female) were hospitalized with a rate of 4.18 positive rotavirus tests per 1000 emergency room visits. There were no statistical differences between the two groups in gender, breast-feeding rates and sibling(s). The proportion of cases with moderate-to-severe dehydration was higher in the post-vaccination children than in the pre-vaccination children. Rates of rotavirus-attributed acute gastroenteritis hospitalizations declined from the pre- to the post-vaccination period. Higher rates of dehydration were found in the post-vaccination children. Ongoing surveillance is warranted to better understand the implications of the vaccine.

Enteropathogen Changes After Rotavirus Vaccine Scale-up.

To inform next steps in pediatric diarrhea burden reduction by understanding the shifting enteropathogen landscape after rotavirus vaccine implementation. We conducted a case-control study of 1788 medically attended children younger than 5 years, with and without gastroenteritis, after universal rotavirus vaccine implementation in Peru. We tested case and control stools for 5 viruses, 19 bacteria, and parasites; calculated coinfection-adjusted attributable fractions (AFs) to determine pathogen-specific burdens; and evaluated pathogen-specific gastroenteritis severity using Clark and Vesikari scales. Six pathogens were independently positively associated with gastroenteritis: norovirus genogroup II (GII) (AF 29.1, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 28.0-32.3), rotavirus (AF 8.9, 95% CI: 6.8-9.7), sapovirus (AF 6.3, 95% CI: 4.3-7.4), astrovirus (AF 2.8, 95% CI: 0.0-4.0); enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli heat stable and/or heat labile and heat stable (AF 2.4, 95% CI: 0.6-3.1), and Shigella spp. (AF 2.0, 95% CI: 0.4-2.2). Among typeable rotavirus cases, we most frequently identified partially heterotypic strain G12P[8] (54 of 81, 67%). Mean severity was significantly higher for norovirus GII-positive cases relative to norovirus GII-negative cases (Vesikari [12.7 vs 11.8; P < .001] and Clark [11.7 vs 11.4; P = .016]), and cases in the 6- to 12-month age range relative to cases in other age groups (Vesikari [12.7 vs 12.0; P = .0002] and Clark [12.0 vs 11.4; P = .0016]). Norovirus is well recognized as the leading cause of pediatric gastroenteritis in settings with universal rotavirus vaccination. However, sapovirus is often overlooked. Both norovirus and sapovirus contribute significantly to the severe pediatric disease burden in this setting. Decision-makers should consider multivalent vaccine acquisition strategies to target multiple caliciviruses in similar countries after successful rotavirus vaccine implementation.

Prevalence and genetic characterization of noroviruses in children with acute gastroenteritis in Senegal, 2007-2010.

Norovirus is the leading cause of sporadic and epidemic acute gastroenteritis (AGE) in children and adults around the world. We investigated the molecular diversity of noroviruses in a pediatric population in Senegal between 2007 and 2010 before therotavirus vaccine implementation. Stool samples were collected from 599 children under 5 years of age consulting for AGE in a hospital in Dakar. Specimens were screened for noroviruses using the Allplex™ GI-Virus Assay. Positive samples were genotyped after sequencing of conventional reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction products. Noroviruses were detected in 79 (13.2%) of the children, with GII.4 (64%) and GII.6 (10%) as the most frequently identified genotypes. Our study describes the distribution of genotypes between 2007 and 2010 and should be a baseline for comparison with more contemporary studies. This could help decision-makers on possible choices of norovirus vaccines in the event of future introduction.

Genetic diversity of rotavirus strains circulating in Norway before and after the introduction of rotavirus vaccination in children.

Globally, rotavirus (RV) is the leading cause of acute gastroenteritis (AGE) in young children under 5 years of age. Implementation of RV vaccination is expected to result in fewer cases of RV in the target population, but it is unknown if this also results in vaccine-induced virus strain replacement. Rotarix, a monovalent vaccine based on G1P[8] RV, was introduced in Norway in the children's immunization program in September 2014. The main aim of this study was to describe the diversity of RV circulating pre and post introduction of the RV vaccine in Norway and investigate changes in genotype distribution during the first 4 years after implementation. A total of 1108 samples were collected from children under 5 years enrolled with AGE from five large hospitals in Norway and were analyzed for RV by enzyme immunoassay (EIA). All positive results were genotyped by multiplex semi-nested reverse transcription PCR for identification of G and P types. In total, 487 of the 1108 (44%) samples, collected from the enrolled children, were positive for RV by EIA method which were further genotyped. G1P[8] was found to be the most common type of RV pre and post RV vaccine implementation followed by G9P[8]. There were neither geographical nor temporal differences in genotype dominance. Also, no apparent changes were shown in the genotype distribution in the postvaccine era for years from 2015 to 2018. In 21.4% of the cases, vaccine strains were detected. Continuous RV genotype surveillance is vital for assessing the effectiveness of a vaccine program and monitoring for any emergence of vaccine-escape strains. Genotyping is also necessary to detect vaccine strains to avoid reporting false-positive cases of active RV infection in newly vaccinated cases.

Fourteen years’ clinical experience and the first million babies protected with human live-attenuated vaccine against rotavirus disease in Italy

ABSTRACT Rotavirus (RV) causes up to half of hospital and community acute gastroenteritis (AGE) cases in young children in Italy. Two RV vaccines, available since 2006, are human RV (HRV) and human bovine RV (HBRV). This report looks back at the implementation of RV vaccination with HRV in Italy, and at HRV current and future perspectives. Initial regional policies led to national implementation by 2018, after scientific societies’ disease awareness efforts. Following vaccination, RV hospitalizations declined significantly, and cost savings were observed. The two-dose HRV vaccine is easily administered during compulsory vaccine visits, helping increase coverage. Intussusception, a serious event in children <1 year, was reported in Italy with a rate of 33–40 per 100,000 infants. RV vaccination presents a low increased risk of intussusception after the first dose, estimated at 0.6 cases per 100,000 doses in Italy in 2019. Parents should be aware of the intussusception risk and symptoms to ensure prompt treatment. It is widely recognized that the vaccination benefits (large numbers of RV hospitalizations prevented) outweigh the risk. HRV introduction in Italy was supported by epidemiologic burden studies, healthcare provider opinions, and congress debates, which significantly contributed to implementation of RV universal routine infant vaccination in Italy.

Child health professionals' experiences of the introduction and successful implementation of rotavirus vaccination in Sweden.

To explore child health professionals' experiences of the early implementation of the rotavirus vaccination in the two regions that first introduced this vaccination in Sweden. A descriptive and repeated cross-sectional study based on a digital study-specific questionnaire with a baseline in 2014 and with a 2-year follow-up in 2016. The study population consisted of nurses and doctors working in child health centres in the health care regions of Stockholm and Jönköping. In Stockholm, a larger proportion of the respondents (n=355) had concerns in 2014, in comparison with the respondents in Jönköping (n=101), mostly about the vaccination being a new and time-consuming task (60% versus 23%). In 2016, the overall attitude to vaccination was more positive in both regions and the levels of concern about increased workload were reduced (Stockholm, n=519, 39%, versus Jönköping, n=96, 10%). Challenges before and after the introduction in both regions were particularly related to how to give information about the vaccine's potential increased risk of intussusception. The gap between respondents' knowledge, attitudes and concerns pre- and post-vaccination introduction was larger in Stockholm compared to Jönköping. In both regions, overall, the implementation of the rotavirus vaccination was perceived as being easier than expected.

Rotavirus vaccine implementation: evidence to fill the gap?

In the maelstrom of COVID-19, it is easy to forget the importance of non-COVID health interventions and the processes that policy makers use to choose where to allocate limited resources. Rotavirus vaccines have consistently been shown to save lives in low-income settings and to be cost-effective in most low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) when compared with no vaccination, with multiple instances where rotavirus vaccination was found to be highly cost-effective or even cost-saving.1 Of the 110 countries that have introduced rotavirus vaccines into their national immunisation programmes, 53 have accessed support from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.

Rotavirus gastroenteritis in Pakistan, 2018: updated disease burden

ObjectiveRotavirus A (RVA) is a significant cause of severe diarrheal illness and one of the common causes of death in children under the age of five. This study was aimed at detecting the prevalence of RVA in Pakistan after rotavirus vaccines were introduced. Fecal samples were obtained from 813 children from different hospitals in Rawalpindi and Islamabad, Pakistan, from January 2018 to December 2018. To obtain additional information from the parents / guardians of the children, a standard questionnaire was used.ResultsUsing an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit (ELISA), rotavirus antigen was detected and ELISA positive samples were subjected to reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR). The findings showed 22% prevalence of RVA in children with acute gastroenteritis (AGE) via ELISA and 21% prevalence via RT-PCR in children with AGE. There was no statistically significant difference between gender, age and RVA infections. The winter, spring and fall/autumn seasons were statistically significant for RVA prevalence.ConclusionThe present study will provide post vaccine prevalence data for the health policy makers. The implementation of rotavirus vaccines, along with adequate nutrition for babies, clean water supply and maternal hygienic activities during infant feeding, is recommended. Furthermore, continuous surveillance is mandatory in the whole country to calculate the disease burden caused by RVA.

Rotavirus Genotype Trends and Gastrointestinal Pathogen Detection in the United States, 2014-2016: Results From the New Vaccine Surveillance Network.

Following the implementation of rotavirus vaccination in 2006, severe acute gastroenteritis (AGE) due to group A rotavirus (RVA) has substantially declined in US children. We report the RVA genotype prevalence as well as coinfection data from 7 US New Vaccine Surveillance Network sites during 3 consecutive RVA seasons, 2014-2016. A total of 1041 stool samples that tested positive for RVA by Rotaclone enzyme immunoassay were submitted to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for RVA genotyping and multipathogen testing. A total of 795 (76%) samples contained detectable RVA when tested at the CDC. Rotavirus disease was highest in children < 3 years of age. Four G types (G1, G2, G9, and G12) accounted for 94.6% of strains while 2 P types (P[4] and P[8]) accounted for 94.7% of the strains. Overall, G12P[8] was the most common genotype detected in all 3 seasons. Stepwise conditional logistic analysis found year and study site were significant predictors of genotype. Twenty-four percent of RVA-positive specimens contained other AGE pathogens. G12P[8] predominated over 3 seasons, but strain predominance varied by year and study site. Ongoing surveillance provides continuous tracking and monitoring of US genotypes during the postvaccine era.

INFLUENCE OF HUMAN ROTAVIRUS VACCINE IN HOSPITALIZATIONS FOR GASTROENTERITIS IN CHILDREN IN BRAZIL

ABSTRACT Objectives: to describe and analyze the influence of human rotavirus vaccine on hospitalizations for gastroenteritis in children under 5 years of age, in Brazil, 2001 to 2018 (pre- and post-vaccination period). Method: this is a retrospective, descriptive ecological study, combining the description of a time series from 2001 to 2018 and collected in the months August 2019 to Janaury 2020. The data were obtained from a secondary source. To analyze the effect of different variables, multiple models of mathematical evaluations were used (accumulated growth rate, geometric growth rate; standard deviation, mean, variance and simple linear regression). The level of significance was set at 5% (p &lt;0.05). Results: there was a reduction in hospitalizations related to gastroenteritis in children under 5 years old, when comparing the pre- and post-vaccination periods. This reduction occurred in all Brazilian regions. Conclusion: after the implementation of human rotavirus vaccine, there was a significant reduction in hospitalizations of children under 5 years.