Publication

Impact of rotavirus vaccination on hospitalizations and deaths from childhood gastroenteritis in Botswana

Authored by:

Enane LA, Gastanaduy PA, Goldfarb DM, et al.

Full Citation

Enane LA, Gastanaduy PA, Goldfarb DM, et al. 2016. Impact of rotavirus vaccination on hospitalizations and deaths from childhood gastroenteritis in Botswana. Clinical Infectious Diseases. 2016(2).

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Additional key concepts from this publication:

Immunization can decrease hospital admissions, thus alleviating pressure on overburdened health systems.

Key Evidence: A study in four hospitals in Botswana found that over a two-year period following the introduction of rotavirus vaccine, hospitalizations from all causes of diarrhea fell by one-third in infants (0-11 months old), and by nearly one-quarter in all children under five years of age. Ninety percent of infants 4-11 months old in the study population received at least one dose of the vaccine, and 75% received both doses during this period. The vaccine’s impact was most apparent during the rotavirus season when the average number of hospitalizations from diarrhea fell 43% among infants and by one-third among all children under five.