Clinico-Epidemiological Profile of Intussusception Among Children Younger than 2 Years in Karnataka, India: A Multicenter Hospital-based Surveillance Study

Objectives: Immunization with conventional rotavirus vaccines (RVVs) has been reported to intensify the risk of intussusception (IS). However, the risk of IS following vaccination with the recently introduced ROTASIIL is not clearly understood. The aim of this study was to describe the clinical and epidemiological profile of IS among children after vaccination with RVV. Methods: A hospital-based multicenter observational study was carried out at five private medical college-based tertiary care hospitals in Karnataka, India, over a 30-mo period. Children younger than 2 y admitted with confirmed IS were enrolled. Data were collected on demographics, clinical features, and vaccination history. Results: Of 196 children with confirmed IS, 153 (78%) had received ROTASIIL. The median age (interquartile range [IQR]) of the participants was 9 (6–14) mo, and 69% were male. The median age (IQR) at receiving first, second, and third dose of RVV was 7 (6–9) wk, 12 (11–14) wk, and 17 (16–20) wk, respectively. Of the participants, 91.8% had ileo-colic IS and the IS was resolved by imaging-guided reduction in 78.6%. Two, three, and eleven cases of IS were reported within 21 d after receiving the first, second and third dose of RVV, respectively. Conclusions: This study provides baseline epidemiological data on IS among children younger than 2 y. Although, no definite association between ROTASIIL and IS was noted, this study provides health authorities with information on the risks and benefits of ROTASIIL in a real-world setting.