COVID-19 pandemic impact on pediatric hospitalization dynamics for acute intestinal infections (including rotavirus) in Chita

Background. The COVID-19 pandemic and the associated non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) significantly altered the global epidemiology of various infectious diseases. Studying the dynamics of hospitalizations for acute intestinal infections in a specific region during different periods of the pandemic allows for assessment of the effect of these measures and identification of patterns in the recovery of the epidemic process. Aim. To evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the dynamics and structure of hospitalizations of children with acute intestinal infections (AII), including rotavirus infection (RVI), in Chita over the period 2014–2023.

Materials and Methods. A retrospective analysis of statistical reporting data from the Regional Clinical Infectious Diseases Hospital in Chita was conducted. A total of 11,520 hospitalization cases of children aged 0–17 years with AII over a 10-year period were analyzed. Descriptive and non-parametric statistical methods were used, including time series analysis, the χ² test, the φ-coefficient, and Spearman’s correlation analysis. Data processing was performed using IBM SPSS Statistics 26.

Results. During the peak pandemic period (2020–2021), the number of hospitalizations for AII decreased 1.6-fold (χ² = 9.680; p = 0.002), and for RVI – 1.4-fold (χ² = 23.955; p < 0.001) compared to the pre-pandemic period. The etiological structure of AII did not change significantly: the proportion of RVI among all cases was 24.48 % (pre-pandemic), 23.68 % (peak pandemic), and 22.87 % (post-pandemic) (p > 0.05). A strong positive correlation was found between the total number of AII hospitalizations and RVI cases (r = 0.789; p = 0.008). In the post-restriction period (2022–2023), an increase in hospitalizations was observed.

Conclusions. The anti-epidemic measures during the COVID-19 pandemic led to a significant reduction in hospitalizations for AII and RVI without affecting their etiological structure. The subsequent increase in incidence following the lifting of restrictions confirms the restoration of the epidemic process, which underscores the need for ongoing epidemiological surveillance and the expansion of vaccination programs.

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