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Rotavirus vaccine and health-care utilization for rotavirus gastroenteritis in Tsu City, Japan
Kazutoyo Asada1, Hajime Kamiya2, Shigeru Suga1
1Department of Pediatrics, National Hospital Organization Mie Hospital, Tsu, Japan .
Insights
Rotavirus vaccination in Japan significantly reduced hospitalizations and outpatient visits for rotavirus gastroenteritis in children under five. This public health intervention demonstrated a substantial decrease in disease burden post-introduction.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Infectious Diseases
- Vaccinology
Background:
- Rotavirus vaccines were introduced in Japan in November 2011.
- The study aimed to evaluate the impact of rotavirus vaccination on the healthcare burden of rotavirus gastroenteritis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the reduction in rotavirus gastroenteritis-related hospitalizations and outpatient visits in children under five years old after vaccine introduction.
- To monitor rotavirus strains and vaccine coverage in Tsu City, Mie Prefecture.
Main Methods:
- Active surveillance of rotavirus gastroenteritis in children under five.
- Analysis of hospitalization rates and outpatient visits from 2007 to 2015.
- Stool sample collection for rotavirus testing and genotype analysis, alongside vaccine coverage assessment.
Main Results:
- Hospitalization rates for rotavirus gastroenteritis significantly decreased post-vaccine introduction (e.g., from 5.5 cases/1000 person-years pre-vaccine to 0.6 cases/1000 person-years in 2014-2015).
- Outpatient visits for rotavirus infection saw a marked reduction, from 66 in the pre-vaccine year to as low as 5 in post-vaccine seasons.
- Dominant rotavirus genotypes shifted, and one-dose vaccine coverage reached 56.5% in 2014.
Conclusions:
- Rotavirus vaccination led to a substantial decrease in the healthcare burden of rotavirus gastroenteritis.
- The findings support the effectiveness of rotavirus vaccines in reducing disease severity and healthcare utilization in young children.
Background:
Rotavirus vaccines were introduced in Japan in November 2011. We evaluated the subsequent reduction of the health-care burden of rotavirus gastroenteritis.
Methods:
We conducted active surveillance for rotavirus gastroenteritis among children under 5 years old before and after the vaccine introduction. We surveyed hospitalization rates for rotavirus gastroenteritis in children in Tsu City, Mie Prefecture, Japan, from 2007 to 2015 and surveyed the number of outpatient visits at a Tsu City clinic from 2010 to 2015. Stool samples were obtained for rotavirus testing and genotype investigation. We assessed rotavirus vaccine coverage for infants living in Tsu City.
Results:
In the pre-vaccine years (2007-2011), hospitalization rates for rotavirus gastroenteritis in children under 5 years old were 5.5, 4.3, 3.1 and 3.9 cases per 1000 person-years, respectively. In the post-vaccine years (2011-2015), the rates were 3.0, 3.5, 0.8 and 0.6 cases per 1000 person-years, respectively. The hospitalization rate decreased significantly in the 2013-2014 and 2014-2015 seasons compared to the average of the seasons before vaccine introduction (P < 0.0001). In one pre-vaccine year (2010-2011), the number of outpatient visits due to the rotavirus infection was 66. In the post-vaccine years (2011-2015), the numbers for each season was 23, 23, 7 and 5, respectively. The most dominant rotavirus genotype shifted from G3P[8] to G1P[8] and to G2P[4]. The coverage of one dose of rotavirus vaccine in Tsu City was 56.5% in 2014.
Conclusion:
After the vaccine introduction, the hospitalization rates and outpatient visits for rotavirus gastroenteritis greatly decreased.
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