Disease burden. Rotavirus (RV) is the leading cause of severe diarrhoeal disease and dehydration of infants in both developed and developing countries, with seasonal peaks according to the latitude and climate. In a 1985 review, RV were estimated to account for between 20% and 70% of hospitalized cases of diarrhoea and 20% of all diarrhoeal deaths in children less than 5 years of age worldwide. Continue
