Prospective study of the burden of rotavirus gastroenteritis in Danish children and their families

TY - JOUR

T1 - Prospective study of the burden of rotavirus gastroenteritis in Danish children and their families

AU - Hoffmann, Thomas

AU - Iturriza, Miren

AU - Faaborg-Andersen, Jens

AU - Kraaer, Christina

AU - Nielsen, Christina P

AU - Gray, Jim

AU - Hogh, Birthe

PY - 2011/12

Y1 - 2011/12

N2 - This was the first study to characterize the total burden of rotavirus gastroenteritis (RVGE) at both hospital and general physician (GP) clinics in Denmark, and also the first to confirm rotavirus (RV) as the leading cause of acute gastroenteritis (GE) among children <5 years in GP clinics nationwide. Several aspects of RVGE were reported, including the impact of RVGE on family life by changes in HRQoL and by the number of days absent from day care. RV was detected in 225 (63.6%) children, and the median number of days absent from day care was 5 days. In 43.0% of the families, at least one family member, a total of 170 individuals, experienced symptoms of acute GE. Reduced health-related quality of life was observed both among children and parents. Our data suggested that RVGE indirectly as well as directly is a major public health burden in Denmark and comparable with data from other European countries.

AB - This was the first study to characterize the total burden of rotavirus gastroenteritis (RVGE) at both hospital and general physician (GP) clinics in Denmark, and also the first to confirm rotavirus (RV) as the leading cause of acute gastroenteritis (GE) among children <5 years in GP clinics nationwide. Several aspects of RVGE were reported, including the impact of RVGE on family life by changes in HRQoL and by the number of days absent from day care. RV was detected in 225 (63.6%) children, and the median number of days absent from day care was 5 days. In 43.0% of the families, at least one family member, a total of 170 individuals, experienced symptoms of acute GE. Reduced health-related quality of life was observed both among children and parents. Our data suggested that RVGE indirectly as well as directly is a major public health burden in Denmark and comparable with data from other European countries.

KW - Child, Preschool

KW - Denmark/epidemiology

KW - Diagnosis, Differential

KW - Feces/virology

KW - Female

KW - Follow-Up Studies

KW - Gastroenteritis/diagnosis

KW - Humans

KW - Infant

KW - Infant, Newborn

KW - Male

KW - Prospective Studies

KW - Quality of Life

KW - Rotavirus/isolation & purification

KW - Rotavirus Infections/diagnosis

KW - Surveys and Questionnaires

U2 - 10.1007/s00431-011-1465-y

DO - 10.1007/s00431-011-1465-y

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 21499690

SN - 0340-6199

VL - 170

SP - 1535

EP - 1539

JO - Acta Paediatrica Hungarica

JF - Acta Paediatrica Hungarica

IS - 12

ER -