Rotavirus Vaccine
What Is Rotavirus? | What Is the Rotavirus Vaccine? | Who Should Get Vaccinated and When? | What Are the Risks Associated With the Rotavirus Vaccine? | Who Should Not Get Vaccinated? | What Other Ways Can Rotavirus Be Prevented Besides Vaccination? | What Happens in the Event of an Outbreak?
What Is Rotavirus?
Rotavirus is transmitted through stool. It is easily spread by contaminated hands and objects. Symptoms usually begin about two days after exposure and may include:
- Fever
- Upset stomach
- Vomiting (can last 3-8 days)
- Diarrhea (can last 3-8 days)—the leading cause of diarrhea in infants and children in the US
- Loss of interest in eating and drinking
- Dehydration
According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), almost all children are likely to become infected with rotavirus before age five. Now that the vaccine is routinely given, the number of cases has significantly dropped. In addition, while rotavirus is most common in the winter and spring, the season for this virus has been delayed and shortened because of the vaccine. Rotavirus rarely causes death in developed countries, but it can be fatal in many undeveloped countries.
What Is the Rotavirus Vaccine?
The rotavirus vaccine is given by mouth. This is a live virus vaccine. This means it contains a living virus that is able to produce immunity to the disease.
The vaccine comes in 2 brands, RotaTeq and Rotarix.
Who Should Get Vaccinated and When?
Depending on which type of vaccine your baby gets, he will need two or three doses. The recommended schedule for giving these doses is:
- 2 months for first dose
- 4 months for second dose
- 6 months for third dose (if needed)
This vaccine is not given to older children or adults.
What Are the Risks Associated With the Rotavirus Vaccine?
As with any vaccine, there is a small risk of severe reaction, such as a severe allergic reaction.
Most infants tolerate the vaccine without any problems. In a small number of cases, children may have mild diarrhea or vomiting after getting the vaccine.
There may be a very small risk of a serious bowel obstruction called intussusception.
Who Should Not Get Vaccinated?
Children should not get the vaccine if they:
- Have had a life-threatening allergic reaction from a previous dose or any of its components
- Are moderately or severely ill (They can get the vaccine after recovering.)
- Have had a blood transfusion
- Have a weakened immune systems (eg, those with HIV infection or AIDS)
- Are taking long-term steroid medicines
- Have cancer
- Have had intussusception or have an abnormality of the intestine (increasing the risk of intussusception)
What Other Ways Can Rotavirus Be Prevented Besides Vaccination?
It is important that you wash your hands and practice good hygiene. However, these steps have not been shown to significantly prevent rotavirus.
What Happens in the Event of an Outbreak?
In the event of an outbreak, authorities will test food and water sources to make sure they are not contaminated. To help the virus from spreading, frequent hand washing and washing of surfaces is recommended. Soiled linens and clothes should be handled as little as possible. These items should be laundered with detergent and machine-dried.
WHERE CAN I GET MORE INFORMATION?
National Network for Immunization Information
National Immunization Program
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Baker CJ, Pickerling LK, Chilton L, et al. Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. Recommended adult immunization schedule: United States, 2011. Ann Intern Med. 2011;154(3):168-173.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Addition of history of intussusception as a contraindication for rotavirus vaccination. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2011;60:1427.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Recommended immunization schedules for persons aged 0-18 years—United States, 2011. MMWR. 2011;60(5).
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Rotavirus vaccine. Centers for Disease and Control and Prevention website. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/vis/downloads/vis-rotavirus.pdf. Update May 14, 2010. Accessed June 11, 2010.
Ciarlet M, Schodel F. Development of a rotavirus vaccine: clinical safety, immunogenicity, and efficacy of the pentavalent rotavirus vaccine, RotaTeq. Vaccine. 2009;27(Suppl 6):G72-81.
Desai SN, Esposito DB, Shapiro ED, Dennehy PH, Vázquez M. Effectiveness of rotavirus vaccine in preventing hospitalization due to rotavirus gastroenteritis in young children in Connecticut, USA. Vaccine. 2010 Sep 16.
GlaxoSmithKline. Highlights of prescribing information. The Carter Foundation website. Available at: http://us.gsk.com/products/assets/us_rotarix.pdf. Accessed December 12, 2008.
Merck & Co, Inc. Highlights of prescribing information. Merck website. Available at: http://www.merck.com/product/usa/pi_circulars/r/rotateq/rotateq_pi.pdf. Accessed December 12, 2008.
O'Ryan M, Linhares AC. Update on Rotarix: an oral human rotavirus vaccine. Expert Rev Vaccines. 2009;8(12):1627-1641.
Rotavirus vaccination. US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd-vac/rotavirus/default.htm. Accessed January 31, 2007.
Vaccine information sheet: Rotavirus vaccine. Centers for Disease and Control and Prevention website. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/vis/downloads/vis-rotavirus.pdf. Update December 6, 2010. Accessed March 16, 2012.
Vaccines. US Food and Drug Administration website. Available at: http://www.fda.gov/cber/vaccines.htm. Accessed January 31, 2007.
1/31/2008 DynaMed's Systematic Literature Surveillance http://www.ebscohost.com/dynamed/what.php: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Recommended immunization schedules for persons aged 0-18 years—United States, 2008. MMWR. 2008;57;Q1-Q4. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, MMWR website. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5701a8.htm. Updated January 10, 2008. Accessed January 28, 2008.
4/14/2009 DynaMed's Systematic Literature Surveillance http://www.ebscohost.com/dynamed/what.php: Haber P, Patel M, Izurieta HS, et al. Postlicensure monitoring of intussusception after RotaTeq vaccination in the United States, February 1, 2006, to September 25, 2007. Pediatrics. 2008;121:1206-1212.
10/30/2009 DynaMed's Systematic Literature Surveillance http://www.ebscohost.com/dynamed/what.php: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Reduction in rotavirus after vaccine introduction—United States, 2000-2009. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2009;58(41):1146-1149.
3/16/2012 DynaMed's Systematic Literature Surveillance http://www.ebscohost.com/dynamed/what.php: Shui IM, Baggs J, Patel M, et al. Risk of intussusception following administration of a pentavalent rotavirus vaccine in US infants. JAMA. 2012;307(6):598-604.
Last reviewed December 2011 by Lawrence Frisch, MD, MPH
Please be aware that this information is provided to supplement the care provided by your physician. It is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
