The incidence and direct medical cost of hospitalization due to rotavirus gastroenteritis in Kyoto, Japan, as estimated from a retrospective hospital study

► A hospital study was done to estimate the incidence of rotavirus hospitalization. ► The hospital was in northern Kyoto, and the study was done between 2008 and 2010. ► The incidence was 5.3 per 1000 child-years among children age less than 5 years. ► Thus, one child in 37 would be hospitalized due to rotavirus by the age of 5 years. ► The results help to consider the introduction of mass vaccination program in Japan.