Faculty of Medicine, Centre for the Evaluation of Vaccination, World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for the Control and Prevention of Viral Hepatitis, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Antwerp, BE-2610, Belgium. pierre.vandamme@ua.ac.be
BACKGROUND: Rotavirus is recognized as a significant cause of pediatric gastroenteritis worldwide. Comprehensive data on the burden of rotavirus disease in Europe were lacking. METHODS: A prospective, multicenter, observational study was conducted during the 2004-2005 season in selected areas of Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom, to estimate the incidence of acute gastroenteritis (AGE) and rotavirus gastroenteritis (RVGE) in children