Forster J, Hammerschmidt T
St. Josefskrankenhaus, Abteilung für Kinder- und Jugendmedizin St. Hedwig, Freiburg, Germany.
Gesundheitswesen. 2007 Apr;69(4):227-32. doi: 10.1055/s-2007-973090.
Worldwide, rotavirus (RV) is the main cause for morbidity and mortality due to acute gastroenteritis (AGE) among infants and toddlers. In Germany, where RV-AGE is notifiable, rotavirus is the most common pathogen of AGE in young children. Since 2006, two rotavirus vaccines for use in infants are available. The objective of this study is to estimate the burden of RV-AGE among young children in Germany on the basis of federal statistics as well as data from epidemio-logical studies. Between 2001 and 2004, 36,281 (or 37,932) RV infections among children below 4 (or 5 years) of age have been notified per year which results in an incidence of 1.2%/1%. Epidemiological studies yield an estimate of 117,985 cases of RV-AGE among children below 4 years of age (incidence: 4%). The hospital statistic shows 12,716 RV-AGE cases per year in children below the age of 5 years between 2001 and 2004. Those cases account for 22% of all AGE cases. However, the causative organism is not stated in more than 75% of cases. In epidemiological studies, an average of 53% of the hospitalised cases of AGEs has been attributed to RV. Based on these data, 30,500 hospitalized RV-AGE cases can be expected per year among children up to 5 years. The mortality statistics show less than one death due to RV among young children per year. Based on federal statistics as well as epidemiological studies, the burden of RV-AGE can only be estimated approximately. While federal statistics underestimate the burden of RV-AGE, the burden documented in epidemiological studies in young children is high in Germany. These findings support the recommendation of the Deutsche Akademie für Kinderheilkunde und Jugendmedizin (DAKJ) for a general vaccination of against RV in Germany.
在全球范围内，轮状病毒（RV）是婴幼儿急性胃肠炎（AGE）发病和死亡的主要原因。在德国，RV-AGE属于法定报告疾病，轮状病毒是幼儿AGE最常见的病原体。自2006年以来，有两种用于婴儿的轮状病毒疫苗可供使用。本研究的目的是根据联邦统计数据以及流行病学研究数据，估算德国幼儿中RV-AGE的负担。2001年至2004年期间，每年有36,281例（或37,932例）4岁（或5岁）以下儿童的RV感染得到报告，发病率为1.2%/1%。流行病学研究估计4岁以下儿童中有117,985例RV-AGE病例（发病率：4%）。医院统计数据显示，2001年至2004年期间，每年有12,716例5岁以下儿童的RV-AGE病例。这些病例占所有AGE病例的22%。然而，超过75%的病例未注明致病生物体。在流行病学研究中，平均53%的住院AGE病例归因于RV。根据这些数据，预计每年5岁以下儿童中有30,500例住院RV-AGE病例。死亡率统计显示，每年幼儿中因RV导致的死亡少于1例。根据联邦统计数据以及流行病学研究，RV-AGE的负担只能大致估算。虽然联邦统计数据低估了RV-AGE的负担，但德国幼儿流行病学研究记录的负担很高。这些发现支持了德国儿童与青少年医学科学院（DAKJ）关于在德国对RV进行普遍疫苗接种的建议。
