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Infant rotavirus vaccine reduced gastroenteritis hospitalization in adults, older children
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Since the introduction of the infant rotavirus vaccine in 2006, incidence of hospitalization due to gastroenteritis has decreased among adults and older children, according to recent results.
Researchers evaluated data from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample on hospital discharges among patients with gastroenteritis related to rotavirus and with unspecified cause between January 2000 and December 2010. Incidence rates for gastroenteritis between 2008 and 2010 were compared with those from 2000 to 2006.
“Implementation of infant rotavirus vaccination in 2006 has substantially reduced the burden of severe gastroenteritis among US children younger than 5 years,” the researchers wrote. “The role of rotavirus in adult gastroenteritis has been less well appreciated. … Whether indirect protection (due to reduced transmission of rotavirus) extends to adults remains unclear. Previous studies suggesting such indirect protection were limited to one postintroduction season or one hospital setting, so prudent interpretation was warranted.”
Significant decreases in rotavirus-related gastroenteritis were observed in 2008-2010 compared with 2000-2006 among patients aged 0-4 years (RR=0.2, 0.14-0.28), 5-14 years (RR=0.3, 0.21-0.44) and 15-24 years (RR=0.47, 0.24-0.94). Discharges with unspecific causes were also significantly less frequent in the post-vaccine period among patients aged 0-4 years (RR=0.58, 0.5-0.66), 5-14 years (RR=0.7, 0.65-0.76), 15-24 years (RR=0.89, 0.84-0.95) and 25-44 years (RR=0.94, 0.9-0.98) (95% CI for all).
Analysis of specific years indicated significant risk reductions for both rotavirus-related and cause-unspecified gastroenteritis among patients aged 25 years or younger during 2008, 15 years or younger during 2009, and regardless of age during 2010. Investigators also noted that all evaluated age groups indicated significant reductions in the incidence of cause-unspecified gastroenteritis during March or April of 2010.
“Based on the observed reductions, annual reductions in gastroenteritis discharges after introduction of rotavirus vaccine in the US, particularly in the 5- to 44-year age group, are likely,” the researchers concluded. “These results point to the primacy of children in the transmission of rotavirus and illustrate how indirect benefits may amplify the effect of the US rotavirus vaccination program.”
Disclosure: See the study for a full list of relevant financial disclosures.
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