Manifestations of the Rotavirus Epidemic Process in Blagoveshchensk, Amur Region

Introduction: Rotavirus infection is of greatest importance among acute gastrointestinal disorders. In children under five, rotavirus is a common cause of hospitalization for severe diarrhea. Despite introduction of a rotavirus vaccine in Russia in 2014, vaccination coverage in some regions remains low.

Objective: To identify major manifestations of the rotavirus epidemic process in Blagoveshchensk, Amur Region, and urgent issues to be addressed in epidemiological surveillance for this infection.

Materials and Methods: Using standard methods of statistical analysis, we compared the time spans of 2011–2017 and 2018–2025 defined as the pre- and post-vaccination periods. The patients with rotavirus were grouped by age (< 1 year of age, 1–2, 3–6, 7–17, and 18 years and older).

Results: A strong upward trend (+28.7 %) in rotavirus incidence was observed in Blagoveshchensk in 2011–2017, which dropped to an average of +7.3 % after the vaccine was launched. In 2018–2025, we observed a shift in the start of the rotavirus epidemic season from November to January and its shortening from six to five months. Besides, we noted a significant rise in rotavirus incidence among preschool and school children over the same period (from 970.95 (95 % CI: 797.4–1,161.4) to 1,549.04 (95 % CI: 1,323.2–1,792.4) and from 159.34 (95 % CI: 115.3–210.5) to 316.58 (95 % CI: 253.9–386.2) cases per 100 thousand population, respectively).

Conclusion: Issues of sufficient rotavirus vaccination coverage among infants, etiological diagnosis of infection at the outpatient stage, and constant surveillance of circulating rotavirus genotypes need to be resolved in the city of Blagoveshchensk. 

1. Martynova G.P., Ikkes L.A., Kolodina A.A., Menshchikova M.L., Alevskaya A.G. Rotavirus infection in children: clinical and epidemiological features at the present stage. Detskie Infektsii. 2025; 24(3): 5-10. (In Russ.) doi:10.22627/2072-8107-2025-24-3-5-10.

2. Bukhantsova E.S., Kovalev O.В., Shamsheva O.V., Molochkova O.V., Kamenskaya I.B. Epidemiological and clinical significance of rotavirus infection during the vaccination period. Detskie Infektsii. 2024; 23(4): 46-53. (In Russ.) doi:10.22627/2072-8107-2024-23-4-46-53.

3. Lobzin Yu.V., Gorelov A.V., Gritsenko V.A., Migacheva N.B., Usenko D.V., Ermolenko K.D. Probiotics in the treatment of acute intestinal infections in children (Review of scientific publications). Journal Infectology. 2025; 17(1): 5-14. (In Russ.) doi: 10.22625/2072-6732-2025-17-1-5-14.

4. Hong L, Song YY, Tao ZX, Xu AQ, Wang HT. Rotavirus gastroenteritis and its vaccination. Zhonghua Yu Fang Yi Xue Za Zhi. 2020. Jul 6; 54(7): 787-792. doi: 10.3760/cma.j.cn112150-20190816-00653.

5. Alagova M.V., Razdyakonova I.V., Samoylova I.G., Ermolenko K.D., Svitich O.A., Ratnikova A.K. Effectiveness of pathogenetic therapy for rotavirus infection in children. Infectious Diseases: News, Opinions, Training. Journal named after Academician N.D. Yushchuk. 2025; 14(3): 62-70. (In Russ.) doi: 10.33029/2305-3496-2025-14-3-62-70.

6. Antonova T.V., Pobegalova O.E., Gorchakova O.V., Lioznov D.A. Problems of viral gastroenteritis in adults. Journal Infectology. 2025; 17(2): 42-54. (In Russ.) doi: 10.22625/2072-6732-2025-17-2-42-54.

7. Safyanova T.V., Rekhtina E.A., Silkin A.S. A long-term retrospective epidemiological analysis of the incidence of rotavirus infection in the Altai Krai for 2001–2023. Epidemiology and Vaccinal Prevention. 2024;23(4):87-95. (In Russ.) doi:10.31631/2073-3046-2024-23-4-87-95.

8. Hungerford D.J., French N., Iturriza-Gomara M., Read J.M., Cunliffe N.A., Vivancos R. Reduction in hospitalisations for acute gastroenteritis-associated childhood seizures since introduction of rotavirus vaccination: a time-series and change-point analysis of hospital admissions in England. J Epidemiol Community Health. 2019; 73(11): 1020-1025. doi: 10.1136/jech-2019-213055.

9. Akimkin V.G., Gorelov A.V., Podkolzin A.T., Denisyuk N.B. Epidemiological and molecular-genetic monitoring of rotavirus infection in the Orenburg region in the period predictively. Journal of microbiology, epidemiology and immunobiology. 2019; 96(2): 30-36. (In Russ.) doi: 10.36233/0372-9311-2019-2-30-36.

10. Cai L, Tang B, Kong F, et.al. Disease burden of rotavirus related diarrhea in children under 5 years in China: a meta-analysis. Sci Rep. 2025; 15(1):15973. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-00778-w.

11. Leneva I.A., Poromov A.A., Faizuloev E.B., et al. Umifenovir (Arbidol) and acute rotavirus gastroenteritis: antiviral activity, mechanism of action, review and meta-analysis of clinical studies. Infectious Diseases: News, Opinions, Training. 2025; 14(2): 91-104. (In Russ.) doi: 10.33029/2305-3496-2025-14-2-91-104.

12. Maleev V.V., Ploskireva A.A. New ways to acute infectious diarrhea treatment. Russian Medical Journal. 2019; 5: 45-48. (In Russ.)

13. Safyanova T.V., Rekhtina E.A., Silkin A.S. Epidemiological and Clinical Characteristics of Rotavirus Infection in Children aged 0–17 Years in the Altai Krai. Epidemiology and Vaccinal Prevention. 2025; 24(6): 36-45. (In Russ.) doi:10.31631/2073-3046-2025-24-6-36-45.

14. Dian Z., Sun Y., Zhang G., et al. Rotavirus-related systemic diseases: clinical manifestation, evidence and pathogenesis. Clinical Reviews in Microbiology. 2021; 47(5): 580-595. doi: 10.1080/1040841X.2021.1907738.

15. Kang H.M., Yoo I.H., Jeong D.K. The role of rapid syndromic diagnostic testing of gastrointestinal pathogens as a clinical decision support tool in a pediatric emergency department. Ann Clin Microbiol Antimicrob. 2024; 23(1): 3. doi: 10.1186/s12941-023-00662-3.

16. Kamenskaya I.B., Bukhantsova E.S., Fedotov D.R., et al. Complex issues of prescribing empirical antibacterial therapy for acute intestinal infections in children. Detskie Infektsii.. 2025; 24(3): 29-33. (In Russ.) doi:10.22627/2072-8107-2025-24-3-29-33.

17. Erovichenkov А.A., Pshenichnaya N.Yu., Ishmukhametov A.A., Gorelov A.V., Akimkin V.G. Travelers' Diarrhea: Resolved and Unresolved Issues. Epidemiology and Vaccinal Prevention. 2021; 20(3): 118-128. (In Russ.) doi:10.31631/2073-3046-2021-20-3-118-128.

18. Leshem E., Lopman B., Glass R., et al. Distribution of rotavirus strains and strain-specific effectiveness of the rotavirus vaccine after its introduction: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Lancet Infect Dis. 2014; 14(9): 847-856. doi: 10.1016/S1473-3099(14)70832-1.

19. Diallo A.O., Wikswo M.E., Sulemana I., et al. Rotavirus vaccine effectiveness against severe acute gastroenteritis: 2009-2022. Pediatrics. 2024; 154(4): e2024066879. doi: 10.1542/peds.2024-066879.

20. Cates J.E., Amin A.B., Tate J,E., Lopman B., Parashar U. Do rotavirus strains affect vaccine effectiveness? A systematic review and meta-analysis. Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2021; 40(12): 1135–1143. doi: 10.1097/INF.0000000000003286.

21. Hemming-Harlo M., Markkula J., Huhti L., Salminen M., Vesikari T. Decrease of rotavirus gastroenteritis to a low level without resurgence for five years after universal RotaTeq vaccination in Finland. Pediatr. Infect. Dis. J. 2016; 35: 1304–1308. doi: 10.1097/INF.0000000000001305.

22. Andreeva D.B., Tsybdenova E.S. Analysis of efficacy of vaccination of rotavirus infection of the Republic of Buryatia. Epidemiology and Vaccinal Prevention. 2025; 24(3): 44-52. (In Russ.) doi:10.31631/2073-3046-2025-24-3-44-52.

23. Bujanow S.A., Semerikov V.V., Voldsсhmidt N.B. Preventive rotavirus vaccination in a defined region: implementation under the regional immunization schedule. Epidemiology and Vaccinal Prevention. 2026; 25(1): 48-53. (In Russ.) doi:10.31631/2073-3046-2026-25-48-53.

24. Cho H., Lee H., Kim D.S., et al. Socioeconomic impact of the rotavirus vaccine in Korea: comparing the epidemiologic and economic characteristics of rotavirus gastroenteritis before and after the introduction of vaccines. Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2020; 39(5): 460-465. doi: 10.1097/INF.0000000000002582.

25. Shapovalova R.F., Mikheeva I.V., Mikheeva M.A., Akimkin V.G. Results of long-term monitoring of the safety of immunization against rotavirus infection. Epidemiology and infectious diseases. Current items. 2024; 14(2): 6-12. (In Russ.) doi: 10.18565/epidem.2024.14.2.6-12.

26. Toczylowski K., Jackowska K., Lewandowski D., Kurylonek S., Waszkiewicz-Stojda M., Sulik A. Rotavirus gastroenteritis in children hospitalized in northeastern Poland in 2006-2020: Severity, seasonal trends, and impact of immunization. Int J Infect Dis. 2021; 108: 550-556. doi: 10.1016/j.ijid.2021.05.070.

27. Anderson E.J., Katz B.Z., Polin J.A., Reddy S., Weinrobe M.H., Noskin G.A. Rotavirus in adults requiring hospitalization. J Infect. 2012; 64(1): 89-95. doi: 10.1016/j.jinf.2011.09.003.

28. Potapova T.V., Ermolenko K.D., Kholin A.V., Stalevskaya A.V., Gordeeva S.A., Razdyakonova I.V. Incidence of acute intestinal infections in Saint Petersburg during COVID-19 pandemic. Journal infectology. 2022; 14(3): 37-44. (In Russ.) doi:10.22625/2072-6732-2022-14-3-37-44.

29. Sergevnin V.I. Modern trends in long-term dynamics of the acute intestinal infectios incidence of bacterial and viral etiology. Epidemiology and Vaccinal Prevention. 2020; 19(4): 14-19. (In Russ.) doi:10.31631/2073-3046-2020-19-4-14-19.

30.