Rotavirus Gastroenteritis and Vaccine Usage in Rhode Island

Overview

The goals of this study are to see what effects the introduction of RV5(RotaTeq) vaccine has had in the community both on the number of rotavirus-associated hospitalizations and on the strains of rotavirus circulating in the community. The investigators will use cases of rotavirus gastroenteritis identified on the wards at Hasbro Children's Hospital during the 2007-2009 rotavirus seasons for a case-control study to estimate rotavirus vaccine effectiveness in preventing rotavirus-associated hospitalizations. The investigators plan to assess rotavirus vaccine coverage in Rhode Island using the state vaccine registry and to examine whether and to what extent rotavirus vaccine was used outside the recommended age limits (off label) during the first 2 years of its implementation in Rhode Island. Finally using the state child health database, KIDSNET the investigators plan to investigate the reasons that children may not have received rotavirus vaccine in order to better target educational efforts for parents and health care providers.

The goals of this study, conducted after the introduction of RV5 (RotaTeq) vaccine in the community, are: 1) to use a case-control study to estimate rotavirus vaccine effectiveness in preventing rotavirus-associated hospitalizations under field conditions, 2) to assess rotavirus vaccine coverage and to examine whether and to what extent rotavirus vaccine was used outside the recommended age limits (off label) during the first 2 years of its implementation in Rhode Island and 3) to investigate risk factors for non-receipt of rotavirus vaccine to inform educational efforts for parents and providers, and 4) to characterize the strains of rotavirus circulating in the community both prior to and after introduction of vaccine to determine if serotype replacement is occurring.

Conditions