Peer-reviewedCC BYEmerging Microbes and Infections
Disease burden of rotavirus infection and its complications among children under 14 years old with acute gastroenteritis in China: a multicentre and retrospective study
17 affiliations
- 1Department of Laboratorial Science and Technology & Vaccine Research Center, School of Public Health, Peking University, 38th Xueyuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100191, People’s Republic of China
- 2Department of Clinical Laboratory, Women and Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing Health Center for Women and Children, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 401147, People’s Republic of China
- 3Value & Implementation, MSD China, Shanghai, 200030, People’s Republic of China
- 4Department of Science Education and Digital Intelligence, Xiaoshan Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Hangzhou, 311201, People’s Republic of China
- 5Department of Clinical Laboratory, Guiyang Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Guiyang, 550003, People’s Republic of China
- 6Department of Clinical Laboratory, Xi'an Children's Hospital, Xi'an, 710003, People's Republic of China
- 7Department of Pediatric Internal Medicine, Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Hohhot, 010020, People’s Republic of China
- 8Center for Infectious Disease and Policy Research & Global Health and Infectious Diseases Group, Peking University, Beijing, 100191, People’s Republic of China
- 9Department of Nutrition, Aerospace Center Hospital, Beijing, 100049, People’s Republic of China
- 10Department of Clinical Laboratory, Capital Medical University, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Beijing, 100005, People’s Republic of China
- 11Department of Clinical Laboratory, Children's Hospital of Xinjang Uygur Autonomous Region, Uygur, 830054, People’s Republic of China
- 12Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing, 100191, People’s Republic of China
- 13Department of Clinical Laboratory, Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Hubei Province, Wuhan, 430070, People's Republic of China
- 14Department of Emergency Pediatrics, Linyi Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Linyi, 276016, People's Republic of China
- 15Department of Clinical Laboratory, Hunan Children's Hospital, Changsha, 410007, People's Republic of China
- 16Department of Clinical Laboratory, Aerospace Center Hospital, Beijing, 100049, People’s Republic of China
- 17School of Population Medicine and Public Health, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100005, People’s Republic of China
Abstract
Objectives This study aimed to assess the positivity rate, disease burden, and complications of rotavirus gastroenteritis (RVGE) among Chinese children under 14 years of age presenting with acute gastroenteritis (AGE).Methods A multicentre, observational, and retrospective study was conducted at 11 centres across China (July 2013 - June 2023). Data on RVGE prevalence, direct medical costs, and complications were analyzed, with projections of direct economic burden for 2025 - 2034.Results Out of 505,987 AGE visits, the rotavirus positivity rate was 15.70%, peaked at 26.41% in the 12-month period from July 2016 to June 2017, and the annual positivity rate declined by 19.63% between 2017 and 2023. Among 7,113 RVGE cases, 28.57% of inpatients had recorded complications, and the estimated rate of recorded complications among all RVGE patients was 8.29%, most commonly recorded complications being myocardial damage, dehydration, respiratory infection, convulsion, and metabolic acidosis. The median cost of RVGE was CNY 272.80 (USD 40.68) for outpatients and CNY 5336.60 (USD 795.69) for inpatients, respectively. Projected economic burden is estimated to decrease from CNY 8.55 billion (USD 1.21 billion) in 2025 to CNY 3.96 billion (USD 559 million) in 2034.Conclusions RVGE was associated with high complication rates. The decrease in rotavirus prevalence since 2018, highlighting the public health value of a series of preventive measures during this period, including vaccination.
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BibTeX
@article{zhang2026disease,
title = {{Disease burden of rotavirus infection and its complications among children under 14 years old with acute gastroenteritis in China: a multicentre and retrospective study}},
author = {Shanshan Zhang and Chunli Li and Yongyu Su and Xuewei Chen and Lu Liang and Lin Song and Yumin Wang and Juan Du and Meiyan Xu and Mingze Su and Xinjie Shan and Yuting Wang and Han Yang and Yaoyao Zhao and Dongdong Yang and Zhichun Ye and Yan Su and Yuanmei Feng and Li Cheng and Jianfei Shi and Huifang Song and Xuekai Liu and Xingwen Hu and Jiasheng Zang and Zhengqiu Li and Fuqiang Cui and Qingbin Lu},
journal = {Emerging Microbes and Infections},
year = {2026},
month = nov,
doi = {10.1080/22221751.2026.2751700},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1080/22221751.2026.2751700},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Disease burden of rotavirus infection and its complications among children under 14 years old with acute gastroenteritis in China: a multicentre and retrospective study
AU - Shanshan Zhang
AU - Chunli Li
AU - Yongyu Su
AU - Xuewei Chen
AU - Lu Liang
AU - Lin Song
AU - Yumin Wang
AU - Juan Du
AU - Meiyan Xu
AU - Mingze Su
AU - Xinjie Shan
AU - Yuting Wang
AU - Han Yang
AU - Yaoyao Zhao
AU - Dongdong Yang
AU - Zhichun Ye
AU - Yan Su
AU - Yuanmei Feng
AU - Li Cheng
AU - Jianfei Shi
AU - Huifang Song
AU - Xuekai Liu
AU - Xingwen Hu
AU - Jiasheng Zang
AU - Zhengqiu Li
AU - Fuqiang Cui
AU - Qingbin Lu
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/11/05
JO - Emerging Microbes and Infections
DO - 10.1080/22221751.2026.2751700
UR - https://doi.org/10.1080/22221751.2026.2751700
AB - Objectives This study aimed to assess the positivity rate, disease burden, and complications of rotavirus gastroenteritis (RVGE) among Chinese children under 14 years of age presenting with acute gastroenteritis (AGE).Methods A multicentre, observational, and retrospective study was conducted at 11 centres across China (July 2013 - June 2023). Data on RVGE prevalence, direct medical costs, and complications were analyzed, with projections of direct economic burden for 2025 - 2034.Results Out of 505,987 AGE visits, the rotavirus positivity rate was 15.70%, peaked at 26.41% in the 12-month period from July 2016 to June 2017, and the annual positivity rate declined by 19.63% between 2017 and 2023. Among 7,113 RVGE cases, 28.57% of inpatients had recorded complications, and the estimated rate of recorded complications among all RVGE patients was 8.29%, most commonly recorded complications being myocardial damage, dehydration, respiratory infection, convulsion, and metabolic acidosis. The median cost of RVGE was CNY 272.80 (USD 40.68) for outpatients and CNY 5336.60 (USD 795.69) for inpatients, respectively. Projected economic burden is estimated to decrease from CNY 8.55 billion (USD 1.21 billion) in 2025 to CNY 3.96 billion (USD 559 million) in 2034.Conclusions RVGE was associated with high complication rates. The decrease in rotavirus prevalence since 2018, highlighting the public health value of a series of preventive measures during this period, including vaccination.
SN - 2222-1751
ER -