Epidemiological Surveillance for Italian Childhood Gastroenteritis and Intussusceptions

In 2009 the World Health Organization recommended rotavirus vaccination for all children, and the promotion of vaccination should occur in parallel with a postmarketing surveillance strategy. We review the epidemiological data on pediatric hospitalizations for gastroenteritis and intussusceptions, a rare adverse reaction to rotavirus vaccine, in Italian children aged <6 years. The analysis highlighted that rotavirus gastroenteritis hospitalizations in Italy are still relevant and generate significant costs to the National Health care System, the evidence of natural changes in incidence of intussusceptions that underline the importance of increasing the knowledge of the natural history of this condition, the independence of the intussusceptions with respect to rotavirus gastroenteritis. Continuous monitoring of rotavirus gastroenteritis and intussusceptions hospital discharge database may contribute to a good management of the pediatric extensive rotavirus vaccination, once in place.