Diagnosis, management, and prevention of rotavirus gastroenteritis in children

Parashar, U. D. ; Nelson, E. A. S. ; Kang, G. (2013) Diagnosis, management, and prevention of rotavirus gastroenteritis in children BMJ: British Medical Journal, 347 . Article ID f7204. ISSN 0959-8138

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Official URL: http://www.bmj.com/content/347/bmj.f7204

Related URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmj.f7204

Abstract

Rotavirus is the leading cause of severe gastroenteritis in children worldwide, accounting for 35-40% of hospital admissions for gastroenteritis. Each year, 180 000-450 000 children under 5 years die from rotavirus gastroenteritis, with more than 90% of deaths occurring in developing countries. Because nearly all children are affected by rotavirus by age 5 years, good sanitation and hygiene alone are inadequate for prevention. Orally administered live attenuated vaccines offer the best protection against rotavirus; as of December 2013, national immunization programs of 51 countries include rotavirus vaccine. Such programs have greatly reduced morbidity and mortality from gastroenteritis. A low risk of intussusception has also been documented post-licensure in some countries, but this risk is greatly exceeded by the health benefits of vaccination.

Item Type:Article
Source:Copyright of this article belongs to BMJ Publishing Group Ltd.
ID Code:98209
Deposited On:11 Apr 2014 06:39
Last Modified:19 May 2016 10:15

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