Rapid impact of rotavirus vaccination in the United States: implications for Australia

Macartney, Kristine K; Burgess, Margaret A

doi:10.5694/j.1326-5377.2009.tb02717.x

Topics

Infectious diseases

Pediatric medicine

Global health

Australia is in a unique position to assess the impact of two different rotavirus vaccines

In 1973, Ruth Bishop and her colleagues in Melbourne were the first to identify rotavirus gastroenteritis in infants. Rotavirus has since been recognised as the most frequent cause of severe childhood gastroenteritis worldwide. In temperate climates, infection occurs predominantly in winter and spring.

1 National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance, Children’s Hospital at Westmead, Sydney, NSW.
2 Discipline of Paediatrics and Child Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW.

Correspondence: kristinm@chw.edu.au

Competing interests:

Margaret Burgess has received vaccine trial research support from, and given advice to, both GlaxoSmithKline and Merck/CSL. The National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance is supported by the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing, the New South Wales Department of Health, the University of Sydney and the Children’s Hospital at Westmead.

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