Overview: 

Rotavirus is a leading cause of diarrhea in infants and young children, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. India introduced a rotavirus vaccination program for children in 2016, initially in four states, and expanded it nationwide by 2019. This OHT co-authored study assessed the impact of India’s rotavirus vaccination program on reducing disease burden and antibiotic misuse. 

The Question:  

How has the rotavirus vaccination program affected the rates of rotavirus infections, related deaths, and antibiotic use in children under five in India, and what level of vaccination coverage is needed to further decrease rotavirus prevalence? 

The Findings:  

Rotavirus vaccination has led to a significant reduction in disease and antibiotic misuse in India. Specifically, Rotavirus cases decreased by 33.7 percent, antibiotic use related to rotavirus dropped by 21.8 percent, and deaths from rotavirus in children under 5 decreased by 38.3 percent. 

The study estimated that, with increased vaccination coverage (reaching about 68.1 percent), rotavirus cases could fall to fewer than 1 per 100,000 children below age 5. The results suggest that universal rotavirus vaccination could reduce antibiotic use in India. 

Read the study published in Vaccine here