Direct and indirect impact on rotavirus positive and all-cause gastroenteritis hospitalisations in South Australian children following the introduction of rotavirus vaccination

The introduction of rotavirus vaccination has been associated with a marked reduction in hospital admissions for serious rotavirus gastroenteritis (RVGE) and all-cause gastroenteritis (ACGE). Following the introduction of rotavirus vaccination in South Australia, there was an 83% reduction in RVGE coded admissions (955 vs 165) and a 48% reduction in ACGE coded admissions (4153 vs 2142) for children aged less than six years. Children less than two years demonstrated the greatest reduction (90%) in RVGE admissions and ACGE admissions (57%). Age-specific RVGE hospitalisation rates decreased from 933/100,000 prior to rotavirus vaccine introduction to 88/100,000 for children less than two years of age. In addition, for gastroenteritis hospitalisations for children aged five years at time of admission (unvaccinated cohort) there was a reduction in the number of RVGE cases (24 vs 4), a reduction in age-specific RVGE hospitalisation rates (65/100,000 vs 11/100,000) and a significant reduction in the proportion of overall gastroenteritis cases which were rotavirus positive (11.5% vs 3.5%), suggesting a positive impact on both unvaccinated and vaccinated children less than six years of age in South Australia.