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Anticipating rotavirus vaccines: hospital-based surveillance for rotavirus diarrhea and estimates of disease burden in Bangladesh.

OBJECTIVES: Rotavirus is the most common cause of severe diarrhea in children worldwide, and a vaccine may soon be licensed and available for use in immunization programs. To assess the need for a rotavirus vaccine in Bangladesh, we estimated the disease burden of rotavirus diarrhea from national vital statistics for births and diarrheal deaths, together with hospital surveillance data on the proportion of severe childhood diarrhea attributed to rotavirus. METHODS: From 1990 through 1993, hospital surveillance was conducted of a systematic, random 4% sample of >80,000 patients with diarrhea who sought care each year at the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR,B). RESULTS: Rotavirus was detected in 20% (1561 of 7709) of fecal specimens from children with diarrhea <5 years of age; 92% of all cases (1436) occurred in children <2 years of age, but only 3% (50) of cases occurred in infants <3 months of age. Children infected with rotavirus were more likely to have watery stools (P < 0.001), severe vomiting (P < 0.001) but less severe dehydration (P = 0.007) than children infected with other enteropathogens. CONCLUSIONS: We estimate that in this setting, where 18% of children die by age 5 and about 25% of these succumb to diarrhea, between 14,850 and 27,000 of the 3 million Bangladeshi children born in 1994 will die of rotavirus by the age of 5 years, equivalent to 1 rotavirus death per 111 to 203 children. The estimated burden of rotavirus diarrhea in Bangladesh is sufficiently great to warrant field testing of rotavirus vaccines for possible inclusion in the current immunization program.

Bangladesh↗

Dual infection of gnotobiotic calves with bovine strains of group A and porcine-like group C rotaviruses influences pathogenesis of the group C rotavirus.

There is serological evidence that bovine group C rotaviruses exist in the United States, but there are no reports of their isolation. Ninety fecal samples from calves with diarrhea, 81 samples from adult cows with diarrhea (winter dysentery), and 20 fecal samples from healthy adult cows were tested for group C rotaviruses by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, immune electron microscopy, and reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR). Three samples from adult cow diarrhea cases were positive only by RT-PCR, and a group C rotavirus was isolated from a positive sample in monkey kidney (MA104) cells (WD534tc/C). Genetically and serologically, the WD534tc/C strain was more closely related to the Cowden porcine group C strain than to the Shintoku bovine strain. Because the original cow feces also contained a group A rotavirus (detected after passage in cell culture), we hypothesized that such dual-rotavirus infections might play a role in the pathogenesis and host adaptation of rotaviruses. Thus, we examined the pathogenesis of WD534tc/C alone or combined with virulent (IND/A) or attenuated (NCDV/A) bovine group A rotaviruses in gnotobiotic calves. WD534tc/C alone induced diarrhea without (or with limited) virus shedding in inoculated calves (n = 3). In contrast, all calves coinfected with WD534tc/C and IND/A (n = 2) developed diarrhea and shed both viruses, whereas calves coinfected with WD534tc/C and NCDV/A (n = 3) developed diarrhea but did not shed either virus. Infection with WD534tc/C or NCDV/A alone caused only mild villous atrophy (jejunum and/or ileum), whereas dual infection with both viruses induced lesions throughout the small intestine. Although IND/A alone caused villous atrophy, more-widespread small intestinal lesions occurred in calves coinfected with WD534tc/C and IND/A. In conclusion, coinfection of calves with group A rotaviruses enhanced fecal shedding of a bovine group C rotavirus and the extent of histopathological lesions in the small intestines. Thus, our findings suggest a potential novel hypothesis involving dual infections for the adaptation of heterologous rotaviruses to new host species.

Animals↗

Safety and efficacy of high-dose rhesus-human reassortant rotavirus vaccines--report of the National Multicenter Trial. United States Rotavirus Vaccine Efficacy Group.

OBJECTIVE: Rotavirus is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality from dehydrating gastroenteritis in infants and young children worldwide. Virtually every child is infected by age 4 years, justifying universal childhood immunization when a safe and effective vaccine is available. We report the results of a multicenter, placebo-controlled field trial in the United States of monovalent serotype 1 and tetravalent (TV) rhesus-human reassortant rotavirus vaccines (RRVs). DESIGN: In this randomized, double-blind trial, 1278 healthy infants ages 5 to 25 weeks received three oral doses of RRV serotype 1, RRV-TV, or a placebo at approximately 2, 4, and 6 months of age. Vaccines contained 4 x 10(5) plaque-forming units of virus. Gastroenteritis episodes were monitored, and severity was graded throughout one rotavirus season. Two stool specimens per episode were tested for rotavirus. RESULTS: The incidence of reactions did not differ among treatment groups during the 5-day, postvaccination safety surveillance period for any of the three doses. Both vaccines significantly reduced the incidence of rotavirus gastroenteritis. Vaccination was most protective against serious rotavirus illness; RRV-TV prevented 49% of rotavirus episodes, 80% of very severe episodes, and 100% of dehydrating rotavirus illness. Reduction of rotavirus disease by RRV-TV resulted in significantly fewer total episodes of gastroenteritis of all causes and an 82% reduction in all cases of dehydrating diarrhea. CONCLUSION: RRV-TV is highly protective against very severe, dehydrating rotavirus gastroenteritis.

Administration, Oral↗

Epidemiology of rotavirus diarrhoea in Africa: a review to assess the need for rotavirus immunization.

Rapid progress towards the development of rotavirus vaccines has prompted a reassessment of the disease burden of rotavirus diarrhoea in developing countries and the possible impact of these vaccines in reducing diarrhoeal morbidity and mortality among infants and young children. We examined the epidemiology and disease burden of rotavirus diarrhoea among hospitalized and clinic patients in African countries through a review of 43 published studies of the etiology of diarrhoea. The studies were carried out from 1975 through 1992, and only those in which a sample of more than 100 patients with diarrhoea were specifically screened for rotavirus by using an established diagnostic test were included. Rotavirus was detected in a median of 24% of children hospitalized for diarrhoea and in 23% who were treated as outpatients; 38% of the hospitalized patients with rotavirus were < 6 months and 81% were < 1 year of age. Rotavirus was detected year-round in nearly every country and generally exhibited distinct seasonal peaks during the dry months. In 5 countries where rotavirus strains had been G-typed, 74% of strains were of one of the four common serotypes (G1 to G4), G1 was the predominant serotype, and 26% were non-typeable. This cumulative experience from 15 African countries suggests that rotavirus is the most important cause of severe diarrhoea in African children and that most strains in circulation today belong to common G types that are included in reassortant vaccines. Wherever large numbers of cases of rotavirus diarrhoea occur early in infancy, immunization at birth may protect the children before their first symptomatic infection.

Africa↗

The 30- to 54-nm rotavirus-like particles in gastroenteritis: incidence and antigenic relationship to rotavirus.

The 30- to 54-nm rotavirus-like particles were observed in the stool specimens of 17 children with gastroenteritis. These small rotavirus-like particles were shown to be antigenically related to the commonly described 68-nm rotavirus using the techniques of immune electron microscopy and ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay). Four specimens containing the small rotavirus-like particles were shown to contain an antigen of a common human rotavirus serotype (type 2). The findings of small rotavirus-like particles of different diameters sharing a common antigen with rotavirus type 2 cautions against the naming of new candidate viruses based on morphology alone. In addition, the shedding of pure populations of single-shelled rotaviruses, herein described, could be an unusual phenomenon which may occur only sporadically. The relationship of the smaller rotavirus-like particles to rotavirus morphogenesis is discussed.

Antibodies, Viral↗

Production and characterization of monoclonal antibodies to porcine group C rotaviruses cross-reactive with group A rotaviruses.

Five monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) to porcine group (gp) C rotaviruses (Cowden and Ah strains) reactive with both gp A and C rotaviruses in cell culture immunofluorescence (CCIF) tests were produced and characterized. These MAbs reacted with three strains of gp A and two strains of gp C rotaviruses in a CCIF test and were classified into two groups based on their CCIF titers. The MAbs also reacted to various degrees with cell-culture-propagated porcine gp C rotavirus (Cowden) and bovine gp A rotavirus (NCDV) in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay by using the MAbs as capture antibodies. Fecal samples containing human, bovine, and porcine strains of gp A and C rotaviruses were positive when tested using one of the MAbs in this assay. The MAbs recognized VP6 of gp A rotavirus and the VP6 counterpart (41-kDa protein) of gp C rotavirus in a Western blot assay. Results of competitive binding assays on four MAbs indicated that gp A and gp C rotaviruses share three overlapping epitopes within a single antigenic domain. These results suggest that gp A and C rotaviruses share a common antigen located on the VP6 protein, which is recognized by certain MAbs in various serologic assays.

Animals↗

The burden of rotavirus diarrhea in Khanh Hoa Province, Vietnam: baseline assessment for a rotavirus vaccine trial.

BACKGROUND: In Vietnam, rotavirus is seen as a priority disease because studies have demonstrated that >50% of children hospitalized for treatment of diarrhea have rotavirus as the pathogen. To anticipate the availability of new vaccines, we have examined our field area in Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa Province, Vietnam, as a potential site to conduct a field trial of a future rotavirus vaccine. METHODS: Data from a population census, incidence rates of diarrhea from a previous cholera vaccine trial and hospitalization rates from computerized records collected from the 2 main hospitals in the province were reviewed to estimate the burden of rotavirus-related diarrhea that might be expected during a field trial of a rotavirus vaccine. RESULTS: For a birth cohort of approximately 5000 children, we would expect approximately 2500 clinic visits and 650-850 hospitalizations for treatment of diarrhea, of which approximately 375-425 would be attributable to rotavirus. For the Vietnamese birth cohort of 1,639,000 children, these numbers translate into approximately 820,000 clinic visits, 122,000-140,000 hospitalizations and 2900-5400 deaths annually attributable to rotavirus-related diarrhea. CONCLUSIONS: Vietnam is an early adaptor of new vaccines, has high national coverage rates (>85%) for childhood immunization and receives international donor support for the introduction of new vaccines. We found the epidemiologic features of rotavirus in rural Vietnam to be more similar to those of rotavirus in a developed country than to those of rotavirus in India or Bangladesh.

Child, Preschool↗

Genetic analysis of a human rotavirus that belongs to subgroup I but has an RNA pattern typical of subgroup II human rotaviruses.

We have previously found (O. Nakagomi, T. Nakagomi, H. Oyamada, and T. Suto, J. Med. Virol. 17:29-34, 1985), during an epidemiological study in Japan, a novel human rotavirus that belongs to subgroup I but has a long RNA pattern typical of subgroup II human rotaviruses. From the stool specimen containing this virus, we successfully isolated in MA104 cells a rotavirus, designated AU-1, which possesses these novel characteristics. The possibility that strain AU-1 was a laboratory contaminant of an animal rotavirus previously adapted to tissue culture cells was ruled out, and the identity of the AU-1 strain was established. Genetic analysis by RNA-RNA hybridization revealed that the AU-1 strain is not a simple reassortant between subgroup I and II human rotaviruses but that it shares a high level of sequence homology only with the gene encoding VP7 (the major neutralization protein) of serotype 3 human rotaviruses. Weak homology of the genomic RNA segments was also observed between the AU-1 strain and animal rotavirus strains, including rhesus rotavirus strain RRV and bovine rotavirus strain NCDV. These results suggest that the AU-1 strain may be an animal rotavirus that infected a human.

Animals↗

Serotypic differentiation of group A rotaviruses with porcine rotavirus gene 9 probes.

The serotypic specificities of Gottfried and OSU porcine rotavirus gene 9 probes were investigated in a dot hybridization assay. The probes were reacted with homologous and heterologous serotypes of group A rotaviruses of human and animal origin. Hybridizations were conducted under relatively low-stringency (52 degrees C, no formamide, 5 x SSC) and high-stringency (52 degrees C, 50% formamide, formamide, 5 x SSC) conditions (1 x SSC is 0.15 M NaCl plus 0.015 M sodium citrate). Under conditions of relatively low stringency, the Gottfried and OSU gene 9 probes demonstrated broad cross-reactivity and were useful in the detection of homologous and heterologous serotypes of group A rotaviruses. Under conditions of relatively high stringency, the Gottfried and OSU gene 9 probes were serotype specific. The Gottfried gene 9 probe (serotype 4) hybridized with homologous Gottfried porcine rotavirus as well as the serotype 4 human rotaviruses ST3 and VA70. The OSU gene 9 probe (serotype 5) hybridized with homologous OSU porcine rotavirus and the serotype 5 equine rotavirus H1. Hybridization was not observed with the antigenically distinct group B and C porcine rotaviruses or with other porcine enteric viruses, including calicivirus and a coronavirus, transmissible gastroenteritis virus, regardless of stringency conditions. Analysis of 14 group A rotavirus-positive field samples resulted in the serotypic differentiation, collectively, of six serotype 4 or 5 porcine rotaviruses. No field samples reacted with both the Gottfried and OSU gene 9 probes.

Animals↗

Similarity of the outer capsid protein VP4 of the Gottfried strain of porcine rotavirus to that of asymptomatic human rotavirus strains.

Genomic segment 4 of the porcine Gottfried strain (serotype 4) of porcine rotavirus, which encodes the outer capsid protein VP4, was sequences, and its deduced amino acid sequence was analyzed. Amino acid homology of the porcine rotavirus VP4 to the corresponding protein of asymptomatic or symptomatic human rotaviruses representing serotypes 1 to 4 ranged from 87.1 to 88.1% for asymptomatic strains and from 77.5 to 77.8% for symptomatic strains. Amino acid homology of the Gottfried strain to simian rhesus rotavirus, simian SA11 virus, bovine Nebraska calf diarrhea virus, and porcine OSU strains ranged from 71.5 to 74.3%. Antigenic similarities of VP4 epitopes between the Gottfried strain and human rotaviruses were detected by a plaque reduction neutralization test with hyperimmune antisera produced against the Gottfried strain or a Gottfried (10 genes) x human DS-1 rotavirus (VP7 gene) reassortant which exhibited serotype 2 neutralization specificity. In addition, a panel of six anti-VP4 monoclonal antibodies capable of neutralizing human rotaviruses belonging to serotype 1, 3, or 4 was able to neutralize the Gottfried strain. These observations suggest that the VP4 outer capsid protein of the Gottfried rotavirus is more closely related to human rotaviruses than to animal rotaviruses.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Neonatal rotavirus vaccination with RIT 4237 bovine rotavirus vaccine: a preliminary report.

We vaccinated 244 newborn infants orally with RIT 4237 bovine rotavirus vaccine or placebo and followed them serologically and clinically for 16 months. Initially 39 of the 119 (33%) vaccine recipients compared with 1 of the 120 placebo recipients seroconverted by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay-immunoglobulin M. After the first winter rotavirus season, at 7 months of age 55% of the vaccinated infants and 37% of the unvaccinated infants were rotavirus-seropositive by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay-immunoglobulin G (P less than 0.01, chi square test). At 12 months of age, after a low rotavirus prevalence season, 34% of the vaccinated children and 23% of the unvaccinated children remained seropositive. There were 14 confirmed episodes of rotavirus gastroenteritis in the vaccine group and 10 episodes in the placebo group during the first 16 months. However, only 1 of the episodes in the vaccine group was severe, 4 were moderately severe and 9 were mild, whereas 7 episodes in the placebo group were severe and 3 were moderately severe (P less than 0.001 between groups, Fisher's exact test). There was no clear correlation between vaccine-induced clinical protection and initial serologic response (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay-immunoglobulin M) to vaccination, but during follow-up severe rotavirus gastroenteritis was more likely to occur in children with no serum rotavirus immunoglobulin G antibody at the time of infection. We conclude at the present stage that neonatal rotavirus vaccination with RIT 4237 vaccine gives no protection against rotavirus infection but appears to modify the severity of gastroenteritis.

Clinical Trials as Topic↗

Evaluation of serum antibody responses against the rotavirus nonstructural protein NSP4 in children after rhesus rotavirus tetravalent vaccination or natural infection.

The immune response elicited by the rotavirus nonstructural protein NSP4 and its potential role in protection against rotavirus disease are not well understood. We investigated the serological response to NSP4 and its correlation with disease protection in sera from 110 children suffering acute diarrhea, associated or not with rotavirus, and from 26 children who were recipients of the rhesus rotavirus tetravalent (RRV-TV) vaccine. We used, as antigens in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), affinity-purified recombinant NSP4 (residues 85 to 175) from strains SA11, Wa, and RRV (genotypes A, B, and C, respectively) fused to glutathione S-transferase. Seroconversion to NSP4 was observed in 54% (42/78) of the children who suffered from natural rotavirus infection and in 8% (2/26) of the RRV-TV vaccine recipients. Our findings indicate that NSP4 evokes significantly (P < 0.05) higher seroconversion rates after natural infection than after RRV-TV vaccination. The serum antibody levels to NSP4 were modest (titers of < or = 200) in most of the infected and vaccinated children. A heterotypic NSP4 response was detected in 48% of the naturally rotavirus-infected children with a detectable response to NSP4. Following natural infection or RRV-TV vaccination, NSP4 was significantly less immunogenic than the VP6 protein when these responses were independently measured by ELISA. A significant (P < 0.05) proportion of children who did not develop diarrhea associated with rotavirus had antibodies to NSP4 in acute-phase serum, suggesting that serum antibodies against NSP4 might correlate with protection from rotavirus diarrhea. In addition, previous exposures to rotavirus did not affect the NSP4 seroconversion rate.

Adolescent↗

Evaluation of RIT 4237 bovine rotavirus vaccine in newborn infants: correlation of vaccine efficacy to season of birth in relation to rotavirus epidemic period.

A single oral dose of bovine rotavirus vaccine RIT 4237 or placebo was given to 2 groups of 5-day-old infants, born in October 1984 (n = 244) and June 1985 (n = 245), who remained in follow-up for 2.8 and 2.0 years, respectively. The vaccine had no effect on the total number of detectable episodes of rotavirus diarrhoea: there were 22 cases in the vaccinees and 24 in the placebo recipients in the October group and 18 and 16 respectively in the June group. However, vaccination decreased significantly the clinical severity of rotavirus diarrhoea, as assessed by a numerical score 0-20; this vaccine effect was much greater in the infants born in October. The mean severity scores for vaccine and placebo recipients were 4.55 and 10.75 respectively in the October group (p less than 0.0001, t-test) and 8.2 and 11.6 respectively in the June group (p = 0.010, t-test). Vaccine-induced clinical protection against rotavirus diarrhoea did not correlate well with serological response after vaccination, but showed good correlation to the presence of rotavirus antibodies before the rotavirus epidemic season. It is concluded that bovine rotavirus vaccine is more efficacious when given immediately before the rotavirus epidemic season: the vaccine effect may be amplified by exposure to wild rotaviruses during the season.

Antibodies, Viral↗

Active immunity against rotavirus infection in mice is correlated with viral replication and titers of serum rotavirus IgA following vaccination.

Using an adult mouse model to study active immunity against rotavirus infection, it was previously shown that oral immunization with some, but not all, animal rotavirus strains induced protection against subsequent infection following oral challenge with the murine rotavirus strain EDIM. To determine if a specific rotavirus protein could be associated with protection in this model, mice were immunized with a series of 18 reassortants between the fully protective EDIM strain and a partially protective heterologous rotavirus strain (RRV-G). Reassortants that contained genes for EDIM proteins responsible for protection were anticipated to provide complete protection; however, no EDIM proteins were found to be both necessary and sufficient for full protection. Instead, protection was found to be highly correlated with viral shedding (P = 0.005) and with serum rotavirus IgA titers stimulated by the different reassortants (P < 0.001). This indicated that protection was related to the intestinal replication properties of the different reassortants rather than to specific immunogenic properties of EDIM proteins. This conclusion was supported by the finding that the titers of serum rotavirus IgA, but not IgG, stimulated in mice following oral immunization with a series of animal rotaviruses was directly related to protection against EDIM. If these findings can be extended to humans, they suggest that the efficiency of intestinal replication following oral inoculation with a live rotavirus vaccine candidate may be the primary determinant of successful immunization.

Animals↗

Protection of agammaglobulinemic piglets from porcine rotavirus infection by antibody against simian rotavirus SA-11.

Rotavirus, a double-stranded RNA virus, has been implicated as a diarrhea-provoking agent in a variety of animal species. Several previous reports have shown that immunization with a single serotype may result in increased in vitro neutralization titers against serotypes not represented in the immunogen. This study was undertaken to determine whether antibody from cows immunized against simian rotavirus strain SA-11 (which is alien to pigs) could protect neonatal piglets from infection with a North Carolina isolate of porcine rotavirus. Accordingly, cows were immunized with SA-11 and an immunoglobulin G (IgG)-rich fraction was isolated from their colostrum. An IgG-rich fraction was similarly isolated from colostrum of nonimmunized cows. At equal concentrations, IgG from SA-11-immunized cows had two- to fourfold higher neutralization titers to seven of eight test strains of rotavirus, including SA-11 (serotype 3); human rotavirus serotypes 1, 3, and 4; North Carolina porcine rotavirus (serotype undetermined); Ohio State porcine rotavirus (serotype 5); and bovine rotavirus (serotype 6). The IgG-rich fractions were fed as dietary supplements to agammaglobulinemic piglets infected with the North Carolina porcine rotavirus. IgG from the SA-11-immunized cows was about eightfold more effective in protecting piglets than was IgG from nonimmunized cows.

Agammaglobulinemia↗

Analysis of homotypic and heterotypic serum immune responses to rotavirus proteins following primary rotavirus infection by using the radioimmunoprecipitation technique.

Three sequential serum samples collected from each of 20 young children with a naturally acquired primary rotavirus infection were assayed by the radioimmunoprecipitation technique for immunoglobulin G antibodies to rotavirus structural and nonstructural proteins of the four major human rotavirus serotypes G1, P1A; G2, P1B; G3, P2; and G4, P2. Fourteen children were infected with a serotype G1 rotavirus strain and six children were infected with a serotype G4 rotavirus strain. Sera were collected from each child in the acute and convalescent periods postinfection and also approximately 4 months later. Serum immune responses to rotavirus core antigens VP2 and VP3, to the major inner capsid antigen VP6, to nonstructural proteins NS35, NS28, and NS26, and to the outer capsid neutralization antigen VP4 of all test strains were detected in the majority of patients. These responses do not appear to be influenced by the G type or P type of the rotavirus strain used in the reactions. Homologous responses to the main neutralization antigen VP7 were detected in 93% of patients with serotype G1 infections and 50% of patients with serotype G4 infections. Heterologous VP7 responses were less frequently detected and were restricted to G1, G3, and G4 serotype rotavirus strains. No responses to VP7 of the serotype G2 rotavirus strain were detected in any patients. Heterotypic immune responses to the neutralization antigens, at least following serotype G1 and G4 infections, therefore appear to consist primarily of responses to VP4 rather than to VP7.

Antibodies, Viral↗

Rotavirus-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes appear at the intestinal mucosal surface after rotavirus infection.

The gastrointestinal tract is constantly exposed to a variety of potentially invasive bacteria and viruses. The first line of defense of the host against these pathogens is the intestinal mucosal surface, which consists of epithelial cells, intraepithelial lymphocytes (IELs), mucus, and secretory immunoglobulins. Little is known about the function, memory, or trafficking of IELs after intestinal infection. We found that IELs obtained 6 days after oral inoculation of mice with the intestinal pathogen rotavirus (simian strain RRV) lysed rotavirus-infected target cells; cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) were responsible for rotavirus-specific cytotoxic activity. Rotavirus-specific cytotoxic activity by IELs was (i) eliminated by treatment with Thy 1.2-specific immunoglobulin M plus complement, (ii) restricted by proteins encoded at the major histocompatibility complex, and (iii) absent in mock-infected animals. Oral inoculation of mice with RRV also induced rotavirus-specific CTLs in splenic and intestinal lymphocytes (mesenteric lymph nodes, Peyer's patch). Parenteral inoculation induced rotavirus-specific CTLs in splenic, intestinal (IELs, mesenteric lymph nodes, Peyer's patch), and nonintestinal lymphocytes (inguinal nodes). Therefore, presentation of rotavirus to the intestinal mucosal surface was not necessary to induce IELs with virus-specific cytotoxic activity. At 4 weeks after oral or parenteral inoculation of mice with RRV, rotavirus-specific CTL precursors appeared among splenic, Peyer's patch, inguinal, and mesenteric node lymphocytes, but not among IELs. IELs with rotavirus-specific cytotoxic activity may be generated from precursors at a site other than the intestinal mucosal surface. Part of the response of the host to enteric infection may include surveillance and lysis of virus-infected villus epithelial cells by IELs.

Animals↗

Use of state hospital discharge data to assess the morbidity from rotavirus diarrhea and to monitor the impact of a rotavirus immunization program: A pilot study in Connecticut.

OBJECTIVES: Now that rotavirus vaccines have been licensed and recommended for routine immunization of US infants, there is an urgent need for data to assess the morbidity from rotavirus diarrhea and to monitor the impact of a rotavirus immunization program. In a pilot study, we have assessed the usefulness of state hospital discharge data on diarrhea in children to provide this information by examining data from Connecticut. DESIGN: Retrospective analysis of discharge records from acute care, nongovernmental hospitals in Connecticut. Patients. Children 1 month through 4 years of age with a diarrhea-associated diagnosis listed on the discharge record. Setting. Connecticut, 1987 through 1996. RESULTS: During the 10-year study period, a total of 11 324 diarrhea-associated hospitalizations (49.4 hospitalizations per 10,000 children) were reported. Diarrhea-associated hospitalizations peaked during February through April, especially among children 4 to 35 months of age. The seasonality and age distribution of diarrhea-associated hospitalizations of presumed noninfectious and viral etiologies resembled those of rotavirus-associated hospitalizations. During 1993 to 1996, rotavirus was coded for 10.4% of diarrhea-associated hospitalizations increasing from 8.6% in 1993 to 14.7% in 1996. The unadjusted median cost of a diarrhea-associated hospitalization during 1987 to 1996 and 1993 to 1996 was $1,941 and $2,428, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Diarrhea causes substantial morbidity in children from Connecticut. The winter seasonal peak of diarrhea-associated hospitalizations in children 4 to 35 months of age coinciding with the peak of rotavirus-specific hospitalizations suggests that rotavirus is an important contributor to the overall morbidity. Although our findings suggest incomplete coding of rotavirus cases, state hospital discharge data should provide sensitive and timely information to monitor the impact of a rotavirus immunization program in Connecticut.

Child, Preschool↗