Rotavirus vaccination leads to large decreases in health care costs and doctor visits

Vaccinating infants against rotavirus has resulted in dramatic decreases in health care use and treatment costs for diarrhea–related illness in US infants and young children, according to a new study by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). “This is good news for parents and our health system overall,” said Dr. Umesh Parashar, medical epidemiologist and team leader for the Viral Gastroenteritis Team in CDC′s Division of Viral Diseases. “Rotavirus vaccine is one of the most effective ways to prevent severe diarrhea–related illness in young children and keep them healthy.” Rotavirus is a major cause of severe diarrhea in infants and young children in the United States. Before vaccines were introduced in 2006, rotavirus was responsible for about 400,000 visits to doctor′s offices, 200,000 emergency room visits, 55,000 to 70,000 hospitalizations, and 20 to 60 deaths each year in children under five years old. RotaTeq and Rotarix, the two US licensed...