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.