Rotavirus Vaccination Status In Rotavirus Infection Presenting to Pediatric Emergency Department

Rotavirus vaccination status in rotavirus infection presenting to paediatric emergency departmentABSTRACTObjectives:: The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of rotavirus enteritis (RV-e) and rotavirus vaccination (RV-V) status in patients with acute gastroenteritis (AGE) admitted to the pediatric emergency department and to evaluate the demographic characteristics, seasonal distribution and risk factors of the disease.Materials and Methods: The study was conducted in the Pediatric Emergency Department of Aksaray University Training and Research Hospital between January 1, 2023 and April 31, 2023. The study population included a total of 609 patients (229 patients with rotavirus (RV) antigen detected in stool smear and 380 patients with normal stool findings) out of 2156 patients aged 0-16 years admitted due to AGE. Patients were evaluated according to demographic characteristics, vaccination status, seasonal distribution and hospitalization status.Results: The mean age of the patients included in the study was 54.01 ± 45.24 months and 45.3% were girls. RV-e positivity rate was 37.6% (229 patients). Of the patients, 90% (n=548) were not vaccinated and 10% (n=61) were vaccinated. RV-e was most common in the spring (38.3%) and fall (24.3%) seasons. RV was detected in 78.9% of 133 patients hospitalized with AGE and this rate was statistically significant compared to those without RV-e (p<0.001). 93.9% of children with RV-e had not received RV-V.Conclusions: Our study shows that RV-e in our region continues to be an important public health problem. Especially the detection of RV-e in the majority of severe cases requiring hospitalization emphasizes the seriousness of the disease. The low vaccination rates and the significantly lower incidence of infection in vaccinated children reveal the importance of expanding vaccination programs. Knowing the seasonal distribution of rotavirus infections will guide the planning of health services. In future studies, it is recommended to determine rotavirus genotypes and to examine the factors affecting vaccine efficacy in more detail.