Hospital-acquired rotavirus infections in Spain over a ten-year period (1998-2007)

Abstract

IntroductionAcute gastroenteritis poses an important health problem in developing countries and a considerable economic burden in developed countries, taking into account not only direct costs but also indirect costs, such us days of work lost by parents. 1,2 Rotavirus is regarded as the most frequent cause of acute gastroenteritis, with 3.6 million cases per year in children up to five years of age in Europe, 3,4 and it imposes a median hospitalization cost of 1,417 Euros among EU-25 Member States.Rotavirus can survive for weeks in water and on different surfaces. Thus, it is easily transmitted through contaminated surfaces, particularly in kindergartens and pediatric units in hospitals. Hygienic preventive measures are not effective in stopping transmission, hence the high morbidity in developed countries.Real incidence of rotavirus infection is underestimated because there is not a specific epidemiological surveillance system. It is estimated that a significant percentage (20 to 60%) of hospital admissions due to acute diarrhea in children are caused by rotavirus, most of these in children younger than six months. Although rotavirusrelated mortality in developed countries is low, the morbidity and associated consumption of health care resources are considered to be high. 5Gastrointestinal infections, especially those caused by rotavirus, are considered among the most frequent cause of nosocomial infection in pediatric units. In contrast to community-acquired rotavirus, nosocomial infections mainly affect breast-fed babies under six months of age.5 Symptoms appear two to six days after hospitalization. A high percentage of non-symptomatic carriers contribute to spread of the infection. The risk of nosocomial infection is associated with lengthy hospitalizations, low birth weight, presence of chronic pathology, immunocompromise and malnutrition. [5][6][7] This study was performed to assess the burden of nosocomial rotavirus infection in Spain during a 10-year period. ResultsA total of 10,990 cases of rotavirus disease (ICD 9 CM codes 008.61; secondary diagnosis position) in hospitalized children five years of age and younger were reported during the 10-year Hospital-acquired rotavirus infections in spain over a ten-year period (1998)(1999)(2000)(2001)(2002)(2003)(2004)(2005)(2006)(2007) Ruth Gil-prieto, Background and objectives: To analyze the epidemiology and burden of rotavirus infections amongst hospitalized children up to 5 years of age in spain over a 10-year period (1998)(1999)(2000)(2001)(2002)(2003)(2004)(2005)(2006)(2007).Results: During the study period (1998)(1999)(2000)(2001)(2002)(2003)(2004)(2005)(2006)(2007), a total of 10,990 cases of rotavirus disease mentioned as a secondary diagnosis were recorded (annual incidence of 59.02 cases per 100,000 people and 0.45 cases per 100 admissions). The average patient age was 9.8 months (sD 9.3), with 71% of the patients younger than 12 months of age. The mortality rate for children hospitalized for other primary causes, with rotavirus gastroenteritis as a...

Hospitalizations due to rotavirus gastroenteritis in Catalonia, Spain, 2003-2008

“…However, in that study, the incidence for Catalonia of 2.0 cases per 1,000 children under 5 is quite consistent with our estimate and thus the incidence of nosocomial RVGE in Catalonia appears to be lower than in the rest of Spain. Our finding that children under 12 months old appear to be at higher risk of acquiring nosocomial RVGE than older children, is consistent with previous studies [26,27]. …”

“…The average annual incidence of presumed nosocomial RVGE in our study period was 2.5 per 1000 hospitalizations in children < 5 years of age, which is lower than the incidence of 4.5 per 1000 admissions reported in another recent study for the whole of Spain [26]. However, in that study, the incidence for Catalonia of 2.0 cases per 1,000 children under 5 is quite consistent with our estimate and thus the incidence of nosocomial RVGE in Catalonia appears to be lower than in the rest of Spain.…”

Burden of community-acquired and nosocomial rotavirus gastroenteritis in the pediatric population of Western Europe: a scoping review

“…For example, mortality due to nosocomial RVGE was highest among children less than 12 months of age compared to older ones (0.74 per 100,000 vs 0.16 per 100,000 children < 5 years per year), as suggested by a study from Spain [29]. …”

Respiratory Syncytial Virus Bronchiolitis in Children up to 5 Years of Age in Spain

“…The objective of this retrospective epidemiology study was to show the hospitalization burden of severe bronchiolitis in Spain and to highlight the impact in public health and high costs to the National Health Care System of bronchiolitis in young children, especially in children up to 5 years of age. The hospitalization rate of bronchiolitis-related hospitalizations in children up to 5 years old is 100 times the hospitalization rate of meningococcal meningitis, 15 400 times pneumococcal meningitis, 16 40 times meningococcal infection, 17 or 20 times rotavirus infection, 18 in the same group of age in similar periods in Spain. Four children up to 12 months of age in every 100 were hospitalized due to bronchiolitis during the study period.…”