Diagnosis, management, and prevention of rotavirus gastroenteritis in children

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.