Background: Morbidity and resource use due to rotavirus gastroenteritis (RVGE) are substantial in Europe, although comprehensive data on the economic impact of the disease are lacking.
Methods: A cost study was conducted to assess health care resource use data collected during a prospective epidemiologic study of acute gastroenteritis in children <5 years of age in selected areas of Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. We calculated the average cost (direct and indirect) per episode of confirmed RVGE in primary care, emergency department, and hospital settings.
Results: The total societal cost (including direct medical, direct nonmedical, and indirect costs) per episode of RVGE ranged from 166 euros to 473 euros in the primary care setting, from 334 euros to 770 euros in the emergency department setting, and from 1525 euros to 2101 euros in the hospital setting. The majority of hospital-related costs were reimbursed by national health care payers, but the percentage of reimbursed costs declined progressively in the emergency department and primary care settings. The mean number of workdays lost by parents and other relatives varied between study areas and settings, ranging from 2.3 to 7.5 days, and this represented the major cost not reimbursed by national health care payers.
Conclusions: RVGE incurs considerable resource utilization in all health care settings and substantial costs for national health care payers, families of patients, and employers. Routine rotavirus vaccination in infants could significantly reduce the health and economic burden of pediatric RVGE.