Abstract
Group A rotavirus (RV-A) genotypes isolated in Malaysia was studied to estimate the effectiveness of a universal RV-A vaccination in Malaysia. A simple mathematical model was used, with input from a two-year, two-center, prospective study on hospitalization of RV-A gastroenteritis (RVGE) in young children, published data on RV-A hospitalizations and genotypes, mortality on childhood GE and published genotype-specific efficacy data on two RV-A vaccines. Assuming a 95% vaccine coverage, the overall projected effectiveness was 75.7 to 88.1% for Rotateq® and 78.7 to 90.6% for Rotarix® against RVGE-related hospitalizations. The projected annual reduction in RVGE-related deaths was 27 to 32 deaths (from 34 deaths) for Rotateq® and 28 to 32 deaths annually forRotarix®. A universal RV-A vaccine is efficacious in reducing RVGE-related hospitalizations and mortality in Malaysia.
Source of Funding
The present study received an unrestricted research funding from Merck Sharp and Dohme Co. Ltd.
Acknowledgment
The present study was conducted as part of Asian Rotavirus Research Network (ARSN) III research initiatives into the burden of rotavirus disease in the Asia Pacific Region. The present study was funded by an unrestricted research grant from Merck Sharp and Dohme (MSD) Co., Ltd., MSD played no part in the design of the study, data collection or medical writing of the present study.