Reduction in rotavirus-associated acute gastroenteritis following introduction of rotavirus vaccine into australia's national childhood vaccine schedule

Abstract

Introduction: Rotavirus vaccines were introduced into the funded Australian National Immunization Program (NIP) in July 2007. Due to purchasing arrangements, individual states and territories chose either a 2-dose RV1 (Rotarix, GSK) regimen or 3-dose RV5 (Rotateq, Merck/CSL) regimen. This allowed comparison of both vaccines in similar populations with high infant vaccination coverage. Methods: Admission and rotavirus identification data from the major pediatric hospitals in 3 states (2 using RV5, 1 RV1), together with state-based hospitalization and vaccination data from Queensland (RV5) were analyzed for the years before, and up to 30 months following rotavirus vaccine introduction. Emergen..