National guidelines recommend rotavirus vaccination to inpatient preterm infants

Abstract

Aim: The aim was to perform a literature search of the latest evidence of administration of dose 1 of rotavirus vaccine to children admitted in neonatal intensive care or special care unit settings.

Methods: The literature search focused on the outcome of serious adverse events of rotavirus vaccination in vaccinated children and on possible symptomatic infection in controls and in unvaccinated children via transmission of the vaccine virus in the same ward. Results and guidelines were discussed with a working group selected from the national advisory group of child health. Also, a survey to neonatal care units in Sweden was sent out due to the subject.

Results: Administration of rotavirus vaccine is safe for age-eligible preterm children and unvaccinated children in the same ward. A satisfactory immune response has been shown, and basic hygiene routines are enough. Also, hospitalised age-eligible children with paediatric surgical conditions should be considered the rotavirus vaccine.

Conclusion: The Swedish Public Health Agency recommends that preterm infants as well as children who are admitted for other reasons in the neonatal ward be vaccinated with dose 1 against rotavirus infection when hospitalised and when age eligible.

Keywords: neonatal intensive care unit; preterm children; rotavirus vaccine.