Diseases and vaccines

Rotavirus surveillance and disease burden

Region-specific information

Guidelines for rotavirus surveillance

Generic protocols for (i) hospital-based surveillance to estimate the burden of rotavirus gastroenteritis in children and (ii) a community-based survey on utilization of health care services for gastroenteritis in children (2002)
World Health Organization (WHO) Department of Immunization, Vaccines, and Biologicals. WHO/IVB/02.15
WHO developed this guide for use in epidemiological surveillance activities aimed at collecting data on rotavirus disease burden.

Global disease burden

Global illness and deaths caused by rotavirus disease in children (2003)
Parashar U, et al. Emerging Infectious Diseases. 9(5):565-572.
This seminal paper estimates global incidence of rotavirus disease and related deaths, based on a review of studies published 1986–2000.

Rotavirus and severe childhood diarrhea (2006)
Parashar U, Gibson C, Bresee J, Glass R. Emerging Infectious Diseases. 12(2): 304-306.
Study authors reviewed literature on hospitalizations related to severe diarrhea and rotavirus and found that, while diarrheal disease incidence has reduced in recent years, due in part to improved hygiene practices, incidence of rotavirus infection continues to increase.

Rotavirus surveillance newsletter - Global rotavirus laboratory network (2007)
US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
A quarterly publication outlining global rotavirus surveillance activities supported through PATH's Rotavirus Vaccine Program.

Rotavirus in Africa

Acute diarrhoea in northern Ghana: epidemiological, clinical, and microbiological characteristics (2007)
Reither K, et al. BMC Infectious Diseases; 7:104.
Investigators collected specimens from children with acute gastroenteritis and determined that rotavirus was the most predominant cause.

African rotavirus surveillance newsletter
WHO/AFRO
This document from the African Rotavirus Surveillance Network provides an update on data generated from rotavirus surveillance at participating sites in the Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Senegal, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

Epidemiology of rotavirus diarrhoea in Africa: A review to assess the need for rotavirus immunization (1998)
 Cunliffe N, et al. Bulletin of the World Health Organization. 76(5):525-537.
This study reviews the epidemiology and disease burden of rotavirus diarrhea among children at hospitals and clinics in African countries, covering the period 1975–1992.

Rotavirus in Asia

Burden of disease & molecular epidemiology of Group A rotavirus infections in India (2007)
Ramani S, Kang G. Indian Journal of Medical Research. 125:619-632.
Investigators analyzed several epidemiological studies to determine rotavirus positivity rates and genotypes of infecting rotavirus strains from various settings in India.

Deaths from rotavirus disease in Bangladeshi children: Estimates from hospital-based surveillance (2007; abstract only)
Tanaka G, et al. Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal. 26(11):1014-1018.
Researchers reviewed surveillance data collected over several years at sites in Bangladesh, determining that rotavirus was responsible for more than 30 percent of diarrheal disease infections. The review also revealed that the proportion of diarrheal disease attributable to rotavirus doubled over the last decade, underscoring the need for preventing rotavirus infection through vaccination.

Rotavirus infection among infants and young children in Chennai, South India (2004)
Saravanan P, Ananthan S, Ananthasubramanian M. Indian Journal of Medical Microbiology. 22(4):212-221.
This study identified prominent rotavirus strains in South India.

Rotavirus surveillance newsletter - Asian Regional Network (2005)
US CDC
A quarterly publication outlining global rotavirus surveillance activities supported through PATH's Rotavirus Vaccine Program.

A study of diarrhoea among children in Eastern Nepal with special reference to rotavirus (2003)
Shariff M, Deb M, Singh R. Indian Journal of Medical Microbiology. 21(2):87-90.
Investigators tested samples from 160 children with acute gastroenteritis and determined that 38.7% of cases were due to rotavirus. The study also examines testing methodologies.

Rotavirus in Europe

Clinical consequences of rotavirus acute gastroenteritis in Europe, 2004-2005: The REVEAL study (2007)
Giaquinto C, et al. Journal of Infectious Diseases. 195(S1):S26-S35.
After a multicenter study in several European countries, investigators determined that acute gastroenteritis caused by rotavirus resulted in more hospitalizations and emergency department visits than acute gastroenteritis from another cause.

Distribution of rotavirus genotypes in Europe, 2004-2005: The REVEAL study (2007)
Van Damme P, et al. Journal of Infectious Diseases. 195(S1):S17-S25.
Rotavirus genotypes were identified in several European countries using ELISA tests, and investigators determined that G1–G4 and G9 genotypes were responsible for the majority of cases. Citing these results, the authors suggest that rotavirus vaccines should provide protection against all major genotypes to effectively decrease disease burden in Europe.

Multicenter prospective study of the burden of rotavirus acute gastroenteritis in Europe, 2004-2005: The REVEAL study (2007)
Van Damme P, et al. Journal of Infectious Diseases. 195(S1):S4-S16.
This observational study conducted in several European countries found that rotavirus accounted for 28 to 52 percent of acute gastroenteritis cases, up to two-thirds of hospitalizations and emergency department visits, and one-third of primary care consultations.

On a multinational assessment of rotavirus disease in Europe (2007)
Matson D. Journal of Infectious Diseases. 195(S1):S1-S2.
This editorial summarizes the characteristics of studies on rotavirus epidemiology and disease burden in Europe, published in a special supplement to the journal.

Rotavirus surveillance newsletter - European Regional Network (2007)
US CDC
A quarterly publication outlining global rotavirus surveillance activities supported through PATH's Rotavirus Vaccine Program.

Rotavirus in Latin America

Características etiológicas, clínicas y sociodemográficas de la diarrea aguda en Venezuela (1999)
Urrestarazu M, et al. Pan American Journal of Public Health. 6(3):149-156.
This study in four Venezuelan cities evaluated the clinical and demographic factors associated with diarrhea in hospitalized children and determined that age is a significant factor in the prevalence and severity of diarrhea.

The epidemiology of rotavirus diarrhea in Latin America: Anticipating new vaccines (2004)
Kane E, et al. Pan American Journal of Public Health. 16(6):371-377.
This literature review was performed to assess the disease burden and epidemiology of rotavirus diarrhea in Latin America.

Enteropathogens and other factors associated with severe disease in children with acute watery diarrhea in Lima, Peru (1999)
Cama R, et al. Journal of Infectious Diseases. 179:1139-1144.
This study of children presenting with mild to severe diarrhea and dehydration at a hospital in Peru describes rotavirus serotypes and risk factors for infection, and offers support for the development of a rotavirus vaccine.

Prevalence of infection with waterborne pathogens: A seroepidemiologic study in children 6–36 months old, San Juan Sacatepequez, Guatemala (2004)
 Steinberg E, et al. Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. 70(1):83-88.
This study evaluated the feasibility of antibody markers as indicators of infections with water-borne pathogens in order to determine the epidemiology of water-borne diarrheal infections in rural Guatemala.

Rotavirus surveillance newsletter - Pan American Health Organization Network (2006)
US CDC
A quarterly publication outlining global rotavirus surveillance activities supported through PATH's Rotavirus Vaccine Program.

Other countries

Hospitalizations associated with rotavirus diarrhea in the United States, 1993 through 1995: Surveillance based on the new ICD-9-CM rotavirus-specific diagnostic code (1998)
Parashar U, et al. Journal of Infectious Diseases. 177: 13-17.
This study examined trends in rotavirus-associated hospitalizations among US children.

National Rotavirus Surveillance Program annual report (Australia), 2006-07
Communicable Diseases Intelligence. 31(4):375-379.
This report describes the serotypes of rotavirus strains among Australian children hospitalized with acute gastroenteritis from July 2006 through June 2007. Rotavirus vaccination was introduced in July 2007, and data from this surveillance will provide an important baseline for to determining the impact of vaccination on circulating strains.

Rotavirus surveillance newsletter - Eastern Mediterranean Regional Network (2006)
US CDC
A quarterly publication outlining global rotavirus surveillance activities supported through PATH's Rotavirus Vaccine Program.