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Hospitalization Costs and Clinical Burden of Rotavirus Gastroenteritis in Children Under Five: A Retrospective Study

Pelin Yücesan Şahin1, Gülnihan Üstündağ2, Ahu Kara Aksay2

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Izmir Tepecik Training and Research Hospital, İzmir, Türkiye.

Clinical Pediatrics
|April 26, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Rotavirus gastroenteritis significantly impacts young children, causing hospitalizations and costs. Vaccination is not yet widespread, but rotavirus vaccine costs are lower than hospitalization expenses, suggesting cost-effectiveness.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Rotavirus is a leading cause of acute gastroenteritis and hospitalization in young children globally.
  • Widespread rotavirus vaccination is not yet implemented in many regions, leaving populations vulnerable.
  • Understanding the clinical and economic burden of rotavirus gastroenteritis is crucial for public health interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the demographics, clinical outcomes, length of stay, vaccination status, and direct medical costs associated with rotavirus gastroenteritis in hospitalized children.
  • To assess the potential cost-effectiveness of rotavirus vaccination in the context of current hospitalization costs.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective hospital-based study of children aged 1 month to 5 years with laboratory-confirmed rotavirus gastroenteritis.
  • Data collected included patient demographics, clinical presentation, treatment, length of hospital stay, and direct medical costs.
  • Analysis of vaccination status and comparison of vaccine prices with median hospitalization costs.

Main Results:

  • A total of 540 rotavirus-positive children were included; 77 were hospitalized, with a median age of 8 months.
  • The median hospital stay was 6 days, and the median hospitalization cost was $125.
  • None of the studied children had received rotavirus vaccination, and hospitalization costs were higher for stays exceeding 7 days.

Conclusions:

  • Rotavirus gastroenteritis imposes a significant clinical and economic burden on young children requiring hospitalization.
  • The cost of rotavirus vaccination is comparable to or lower than the median hospitalization costs, supporting its inclusion in national immunization programs.
  • Implementing rotavirus vaccination could be a cost-effective strategy to reduce childhood gastroenteritis burden and healthcare expenditures.

Keywords:
childreneconomic burdengastroenteritishospitalization costrotavirusvaccination

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