Rotavirus vaccination one year on...

Abstract

The rotavirus vaccine was incorporated into the Australian National Immunisation Program from 1 July 2007. To measure early impact of the vaccine on rotavirus disease and the burden of gastroenteritis in young children, we examined 2 surveillance data sources, rotavirus isolates from selected New South Wales laboratories, and New South Wales Emergency Department (ED) visits assigned a gastroenteritis-related diagnosis. Between 2001 and 2008, weekly time series were prepared for 2 age groups representing children young enough to have been offered vaccination prior to the 2008 seasonal epidemic (< 15 months) and older children (15 months to 5 years). In 2008, the seasonal increase in laboratory confirmed rotavirus infection and gastroenteritis related ED visits declined substantially in both age groups compared with earlier years. These data provide preliminary evidence of the effectiveness of the rotavirus vaccination program in New South Wales. Immunising the most susceptible population group, infants, against rotavirus may limit wider circulation of the virus in older children. Commun Dis Intell 2009;33(3):337–340.