Clinical efficacy of rotavirus vaccine in turkish infants

Between May 2008-June 2009, 299 infants in rotavirus vaccinated group and 251 infants in control group were studied in order to evaluate the efficacy of rotavirus vaccine,to evaluate G and P types and to contribute vaccine efficacy studies in Türkiye. During follow up; 7 infants were excluded because they had not came for their 2nd and/or 3rd vaccine.During follow up, 108 of 543 infants (% 19.9) had a total of 124 episodes of gastroenteritis (Diarrhea episode rate % 22.5). Of 108 infants? parents, 53 (% 49.8) had brought 63 stool samples. According to stool delivery, there was statistically significant difference (p=0.04) between two groups (Vaccinated group brought more)Two of 108 infants had severe gastroenteritis according to Vesicari scoring system. There was no difference between two groups according to frequency of severe gastroenteritis episodes (p=1.000), but statistically significant difference was found between two groups when moderate gastroenteritis episodes were compared (control group had more moderate gastroenteritis)Six of 63 stool samples ( %9.5) were positive for rotavirus in ELİSA testing. Three of 6 samples (% 50) were in vaccinated group and the others were in control group. Six samples were evaluated with PAGE electrophoretyping and 3 were found PCR (+).One sample was G1P[8] (in control group), 1 sample was G4P[8] (in control group) and 1 sample was G9 (+) (in vaccinated group).G9?s P type couldn?t be found.The limitations of this study were; rotavirus vaccine is not in Türkiye?s national vaccine programme so that high sensitivity that vaccinated infants? parent?s have, altered their behaviour in the meaning of being diarrhaea and stool delivery; short follow up period of study ( 1 year) and insufficient infants? number.With this study; we tried to evaluate the rotavirus vaccine efficacy. We found that there was no difference in ? severe gastroenteritis? between groups but statistically significant difference in ? moderate gastroenteritis?. More studies are needed to evaluate the efficacy of rotavirus vaccine in severe and very severe gastroenteritis.