GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceutical Malaysia (GSK) has launched Operation Diaper, an educational campaign to increase awareness of the prevalence of Rotavirus and the importance of its prevention.
Did you know that:
By the age of five, nearly every child would have had at least one Rotavirus infection?
One in 37 children will visit a clinic.
One in 61 will be hospitalised.
One in 15,000 will die.
AS part of its commitment to improving lives, GSK has launched Operation Diaper, a programme aimed at increasing parents’ sensitivity in recognising the symptoms of Rotavirus and its effects on their children, as well as encouraging parents to talk to their doctors on care and prevention.
Rotavirus is the single leading cause of severe diarrhoea among infants and young children. Globally approximately 440,000 children die from Rotavirus infections every year.
Symptoms of Rotavirus infection are characterised by the abrupt onset of fever and vomiting followed by watery diarrhoea. Fever and vomiting can last up to nine days, but diarrhoea can last up to three weeks. As such, young infants are the most vulnerable to the disease.
“Dehydration is a major concern for Rotavirus infections, as severe dehydration can lead to death. A survey conducted in Asia, the Asian Rotavirus Surveillance Network, has shown that 57% (range of 52% to 59%) of diarrhoea admissions in Malay-sian are caused by Rotavirus infection,” said consultant paediatrician Dr Khoo Phaik Choo.
Rotavirus is highly contagious and is spread through faecal-oral routes. It is usually transmitted from person to person through contaminated hands, toys, and other objects.
“This is a very hardy virus – it can survive for hours on hands and up to five days in the environment. Although hand washing is important, it does not necessarily reduce the incidence of the disease, as regular soaps cannot kill the virus. It’s important for parents to talk to their child’s doctor about ways in which they can prevent their child from getting infected,” added Dr Khoo.
Infants aged between three months and 24 months are the most susceptible to Rotavirus, with 71% of all Rotavirus episodes occurring within the first year of life. Thus, preventive measures such as breastfeeding, and regular disinfection of play areas and toys, can be taken. However, vaccination is the best prevention against Rotavirus infection, and as such, protection from early infancy is important to reduce the burden of the disease.
“It’s important to recognise the impact that an infant’s illness has on the parents, as well as the rest of the family, in terms of emotional distress, as well as financial burden. On average, the hospital cost of a single episode of Rotavirus is approximately RM750 in an urban hospital in Malaysia, and this does not include the cost of outpatient visits or medication, or other non-medical costs such as diapers, childcare, time off from work, and so on,” explained Dr Khoo.
“Rotavirus is an extremely common infection that affects almost all children. Yet, awareness of the disease and how to prevent it is very low. Operation Diaper seeks to change that by partnering with healthcare professionals in reaching out to parents, educating them on the virus, its symptoms, and how to prevent it.
“Additional outreach will also be carried out through advertising and the media” said Francis Del Val, Vice President and Managing Director of GSK Pharmaceutical Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei.
“We continuously strive to enhance the quality of lives of the community by ensuring the availability of quality healthcare and by enhancing public’s knowledge of disease and prevention. This will empower the public to ask their doctors questions and make informed decisions for their lives and the lives of their children,” added Del Val.
References:
1. Parashar UD et al, Emerg Infect Dis 2003;9(5):565–572
2. Hsu et. al, Estimates of burden of Rotavirus Disease in Malaysia, J of Infectious Disease 2005:192 (Suppl 1) S80- S86.
3. Dennehy PH. Pediatr Infect Dis J 2000; 19:S103-5
4. Kapikian A, Chanock R. Rotaviruses. In: Knipe DM, Howley PM eds. Fields Virology. 4th Ed; 2001:1787-1834
5. Nelson E.A.S et al. Rotavirus Epidemiology : The Asian Rotavirus Surveillance Network, Vaccine 26 (2008) : 3192 – 3196
6. Huilan S et al. Etiology of acute diarrhoea among children in developing countries. Bulletin of the World Health Organization, 1991; 69(5):549-555
7. Lee WS. Estimates of economic burden of providing inpatient care in childhood rotavirus gastroenteritis from Malaysia. Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health. 2007; 43: 818-825.
This article is courtesy of GlaxoSmithKline. The information provided is for educational and communication purposes only and it should not be construed as personal medical advice. Information published in this article is not intended to replace, supplant or augment a consultation with a health professional regarding the reader’s own medical care. The Star does not give any warranty on accuracy, completeness, functionality, usefulness or other assurances as to the content appearing in this column. The Star disclaims all responsibility for any losses, damage to property or personal injury suffered directly or indirectly from reliance on such information.
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