Burden of hospitalizations attributable to rotavirus infection in children in Spain, period 1999-2000.

The aim of this study is to provide estimates on the incidence of rotavirus infection requiring hospitalization in children <or=5 years of age during the 1999-2000 period in Spain and the associated direct cost of these hospitalizations. Hospital admissions attributable to rotavirus were estimated by using data on confirmed laboratory reports of rotavirus and hospital admissions due to acute gastroenteritis. During the study period a total of 32541 cases of pathogens responsible for acute gastroenteritis were reported to the microbiological information national system (SIM) and 14.0% were rotavirus. The proportion of laboratory-confirmed rotavirus cases was extrapolated to the total number of hospitalizations for acute gastroenteritis in children <or=5 years of age. An annual incidence of 1.0 hospital admissions attributable to rotavirus per 1000 persons <or=5 years of age was found, although during the winter season it reached 2.5 hospitalizations per 1000. Overall, the estimated annual number of days of hospitalization attributable to rotavirus was 8742 days that results in a cost of 3.6 million per year.