Hospitalised rotavirus gastroenteritis in New Zealand: The laboratory database is a valuable tool for assessing the impact of rotavirus vaccination

The non-restrictive continuous approach to rotavirus testing has provided a detailed description of the epidemiology of rotavirus gastroenteritis hospitalisations in the Wellington and Hutt regions. Rotavirus vaccination introduced on the crest of a peak in rotavirus cases has lead to a marked reduction in the number of admissions with gastroenteritis in New Zealand in the two years following vaccine introduction. The national figures likely underestimate the impact of the vaccine.