• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.80-84
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• 2015

Background: Rotavirus is the most common cause of severe gastroenteritis in children <5 years of age. The first vaccine, RotaShield was developed, but withdrawn because of its association with increased risk of intussusception. Then, RotaTeq and Rotarix were developed. Although in pre-licensure studies, they were not associated with an increased risk of intussusceptions, in recent studies, it has been controversial. Regarding increased risk of intussusception, we studied the difference in the age of intussusception after rotavirus vaccination. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 136 patients diagnosed with intussusception at Yeungnam University Medical Center for 4 years in the pre-vaccination period (group A) and in the post vaccination period (group B). Sex, mean age and age distribution of intussusceptions were compared according to the type of rotavirus vaccine (group B-1, RotaTeq; group B-2, Rotarix). Results: The median ages of group A and group B were $18.8{\pm}19.6months$ and $15.5{\pm}10.2months$, with no significant differences (p=0.23). The median ages of group B-1 and group B-2 were $15.3{\pm}9.3months$ and $15.6{\pm}10.8months$, with no significant differences (p=0.91). And No significant difference in the distribution of onset age was observed between groups, and only 6 patients were diagnosed with intussusceptions within 1 month after vaccination. Conclusion: No difference was observed in the distribution of onset age of intussusception after rotavirus vaccination and according to the type of rotavirus vaccine. Our study has a limitation in that it was conducted in part of the Daegu area. Additional study is needed.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.12 no.sup1
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• pp.72-76
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• 2009

Rotavirus infection is the leading cause of severe diarrhea disease in infants and young children worldwide. Rotavirus infects every child at least once by her/his $5^{th}$ birthday. It has been known that single episode of rotavirus infection can protect or alleviate subsequent illness caused by both homotypic and heterotypic rotaviruses. There are two currently licensed rotavirus vaccines. One is human-bovine rotavirus reassortant pentavalent vaccine ($RotaTeq^{TM}$), which contains five reassortant rotavirus (expressing protein G1, G2, G3, G4 and P[8]) and was licensed in Korea for use among infants in 2007. Another is live-attenuated human rotavirus vaccine ($Rotarix^{TM}$) derived from 89-12 strain which represents the most common of the human rotavirus VP7(G1) and VP4(P[8]) antigens. $Rotarix^{TM}$ was licensed in Korea in 2008. Both live oral rotavirus vaccines are efficacious in preventing severe rotavirus gastroenteritis.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.147-152
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• 2006

Purpose: Efficacy of the new rotavirus vaccines ($Rotarix^{(R)}$, $RotaTeq^{(R)}$) recently developed can be affected by the rotavirus genotypes prevalent in communities. We performed this study to identify the recent distribution of rotavirus genotypes prevalent in Jeju. Methods: Genotyping of human rotaviruses was performed using 81 samples collected from 154 inpatients and outpatients with rotavirus gastroenteritis at Cheju National University Hospital between July 2005 and June 2006. All six (1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 9) G serotypes were identified by amplification of segments of the gene for VP7 using the reverse transcription-polymerase reaction (RT-PCR). Results: The results of RT-PCR for 81 samples were all positive. G typing of the VP7 protein showed that G1 was the most dominant circulating genotype (65.5%) followed by G2 (14.8%), G3 (13.6%), G8 (1.2%), G9 (1.2%), G4 (0%), and a combination of G1/G3 (3.7%). Conclusion: This distribution of rotavirus VP7 genotypes in Jeju is different from that in other domestic areas; the most dominant circulating genotype was G1.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.174-180
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• 2014

Purpose: This study was performed to assess the clinical and epidemiological changes after the introduction of the rotavirus vaccine in Korea, as well as to determine the efficacy of the rotavirus vaccine among hospitalized rotaviral gastroenteritis patients over the past two years. Methods: We analyzed yearly and seasonal patterns of 1,165 inpatients who were hospitalized for rotaviral gastroenteritis under the age of 5 years between 2006 and 2013. We also conducted a survey among 460 gastroenteritis patients who were hospitalized between 2012 and 2013 regarding the rotavirus vaccination and the symptoms of gastroenteritis. Among those individuals surveyed, clinical indices were analyzed for 124 patients who were tested positive for the rotavirus antigen. Results: The incidence of Rotaviral gastroenteritis have decreased significantly by year 2010. After the introduction and widespread dissemination of the rotavirus vaccine, the onset of the disease and the seasonal peak have been delayed. Overall, the vaccinated group showed a lower rate of positivity than the unvaccinated group. Among the hospitalized rotaviral gastroenteritis patients, the vaccinated group had a shorter hospitalization period, less severe clinical symptoms of gastroenteritis, and better laboratory test results. Conclusions: After introduction of the rotavirus vaccine in Korea, there were two main trends observed: 1) the overall level of disease incidence was reduced; 2) the severity of rotaviral gastroenteritis cases also decreased. Based on this data, more children should receive vaccination in order to prevent the rotavirus infection and decrease the severity of rotaviral gastroenteritis.