Rotavirus Vaccine Impact since Its Introduction in the National Immunization Program of Argentina

Abstract

Introduction Rotavirus (RV) is the most common cause of childhood diarrhea. Argentina introduced RV vaccination in the National Immunization Program in January 2015. This study evaluates the impact of RV vaccine implementation on the burden of acute diarrheal disease (ADD) and RV positive cases, and hospitalizations among children in Argentina. Methods A counterfactual time-series analysis was performed. Data on ADD (2013–2018) and RV diarrhea (2012–2018) cases in children aged < 5 years were collected from the National Healthcare Surveillance System (clinical and laboratory data). Data on hospital discharges following ADD and RV diarrhea (2011–2017) were retrieved from the Health Statistics and Information Office. All data were classified by the age groups < 1 year, < 2 years, 2–5 years. Vaccine impact was defined as the difference between the predicted time trend (simulated using 2012–2014 data) and the actual post-vaccination data (2015–2018). Results A significant reduction of 22.1% of notified ADD cases and 15.4% of hospital discharges following ADD among children < 2 years was observed in the 3 years after RV vaccine implementation. Data also showed a significant decline of 54.0% and 59.4% of notified RV cases in children < 2 and < 1 years, respectively, and a reduction of 39.3% and 40.8% in RV hospital discharges for the same age groups. Conclusion This study shows a significant reduction in notified ADD cases and RV cases and hospital discharges following ADD and RV cases in children < 2 years after RV vaccine introduction in Argentina in 2015. Graphical abstract Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40121-022-00709-6.

Pediatric COVID-19 in Argentina: a comprehensive analysis of disease and economic burden through official data and a systematic literature review

“…2,411 deaths were attributed to pneumonia and influenza between 2002 and 2009, see Supplementary Table S10 , and hospitalizations reached an average of 7,868 to 22,994 per year during that period ( 30 ). Before the introduction of mandatory rotavirus vaccination, acute diarrhea affected 1,100,000 to 1,250,000 individuals annually in Argentina, with children under five accounting for 45%–50% of cases ( 31 , 32 ). Chickenpox recorded an estimated 150,000 to 180,000 cases annually before introducing the vaccine to the immunization schedule, but underreporting suggested a higher incidence of approximately 350,000–400,000 cases annually ( 33 , 34 ).…”

Virus entéricos distintos de rotavirus y norovirus en menores de 5 años con gastroenteritis en Argentina, 2010-2021. Estudio descriptivo

“…1 En Argentina, previo a la introducción de la vacuna contra el rotavirus al Programa Ampliado de Inmunizaciones (año 2015), se notificaban al Sistema Nacional de Vigilancia de la Salud alrededor de 500 000 a 600 000 casos por año en menores de 5 años. 2 Sin embargo, luego de la implementación de esta estrategia, se observó una rápida disminución del 20 % de los casos de diarrea aguda de cualquier etiología. 3 A n t e u n c u a d r o d e d i a r r e a a g u d a n o inflamatoria en un menor de 5 años, diversos e s t u d i o s s e ñ a l a n q u e l a e t i o l o g í a m á s frecuente de este evento se supone viral.…”

Enteric viruses other than rotavirus and norovirus in children under 5 years of age with gastroenteritis in Argentina, 2010–2021. A descriptive study

“…1 In Argentina, prior to the introduction of the rotavirus vaccine into the Expanded Program of Immunization (2015), approximately 500 000 to 600 000 cases per year in children younger than 5 years were reported to the National Health Surveillance System. 2 However, after this strategy was implemented, a rapid decrease of 20% in acute diarrhea cases of any etiology was observed. 3 In the case of acute non-inflammatory diarrhea in children younger than 5 years, several studies indicate that the most frequent etiology of this event is assumed to be viral.…”