Background: We conducted prospective, hospital-based surveillance for rotavirus disease for a 2-year period at 4 of 12 public government (Hospital Authority [HA]) hospitals in Hong Kong. It has been estimated that HA hospitals provide 90% of inpatient care in Hong Kong.
Methods: Information was collected for children <5 years old who had a primary or secondary diagnosis of diarrhea or for whom a stool sample was tested for the presence of rotavirus (by enzyme immunoassay) or bacteria (by culture). Surveillance data were compared with routine discharge information from the HA's computerized Clinical Management System (CMS).
Results: During a 2-year period (1 April 2001 through 31 March 2003), 7391 children were admitted to the hospital with diarrhea or developed diarrhea during their hospital stay. Of these children, 5881 (80%) had a stool sample tested for the presence of rotavirus, and 30% were positive for rotavirus (representing 24% of all diarrhea-associated admissions). CMS data underreported the total percentage of diarrhea-associated admissions (15% vs. 20%) and the percentage of diarrhea-associated admissions that were the result of rotavirus infection (13% vs. 24%). Estimated rates of hospitalization for rotavirus infection (8.8 admissions/1000 children <5 years old and 18.4 admissions/1000 children <1 year old) were 4-fold higher than our previous estimates, which were determined on the basis of CMS data alone. We estimate that the cumulative risk of hospitalization with rotavirus diarrhea by age 5 years is 1 in 24. Combined active and passive (CMS) surveillance data indicate that 4.6% of all general pediatric admissions to HA hospitals in Hong Kong were associated with rotavirus infection.
Conclusion: Our study combined passive surveillance data from all Hong Kong HA hospitals with active surveillance data from 4 sentinel hospitals. The estimates of rotavirus disease burden obtained will help emphasize the effect of this important disease and create awareness of the potential for rotavirus vaccines. The surveillance model developed could also be a powerful tool for monitoring the effect of a vaccine.