Hospitalization Costs and Clinical Burden of Rotavirus Gastroenteritis in Children Under Five: A Retrospective Study From Türkiye

Abstract

Rotavirus remains a major cause of acute gastroenteritis and hospitalization among young children worldwide, particularly where routine vaccination is not widely implemented. This retrospective hospital-based study evaluated children aged 1 month to 5 years hospitalized with laboratory-confirmed rotavirus gastroenteritis, focusing on demographics, clinical outcomes, length of stay, vaccination status, and direct medical costs. Among 540 rotavirus-positive children, 434 were outpatients, 20 received day-care treatment, and 77 were hospitalized. The median age was 8 months; 88.3% were younger than 24 months, and admissions clustered in spring and winter. The median hospital stay was 6 days, and the median hospitalization cost was $125 (range: $35.1-$414), with higher costs among those hospitalized for more than 7 days (P < .001). None of the patients had received rotavirus vaccination. Vaccine prices were comparable to or lower than median hospitalization costs, supporting the potential cost-effectiveness of including rotavirus vaccine in the national immunization program.