Epidemiological features of rotavirus infection in Caracas, Venezuela: Implications for rotavirus immunization programs

The epidemiological features of rotavirus infection may be quite relevant f or evaluation of the performance of a rotavirus vaccine in different settin gs, as well as for monitoring its impact during vaccination under routine c onditions. This article describes some important issues regarding rotavirus epidemiology in Venezuela, where major field trials of rotavirus vaccine h ave been carried out. Rotaviruses was significantly more frequently observe d in inpatient (43%) than in outpatient (21%) consultations for diarrhea in infants and young children. There was a high prevalence of rotavirus illne ss, regardless of socioeconomic conditions, but the risk of dehydration was greater among the lower socioeconomic groups. Rotavirus disease occurs yea r-round, with a slight seasonal pattern. Eighty-five percent of rotavirus-p ositive diarrheal episodes, as well as 86% of cases of dehydration due to r otavirus, occurred during the first year of life. However, rotavirus illnes ses occur less commonly during the first months of life (0-2 months), which may be a result of protection by transplacental antibodies. The pattern of acquisition of rotavirus antibody was consistent with this age distributio n of disease and with optimal age for vaccination. Thus, regional epidemiol ogical characteristics of rotavirus infection may affect optimal performanc e of rotavirus vaccine. (C) 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.