Vaccination Against Rotavirus, by Dr. Paul Offit

I am proud to have co-invented one of the rotavirus vaccines in use today, RotaTeq. Recommended for use in infants by the Centers for Disease Control, the rotavirus vaccine can help prevent this dangerous childhood malady.

Seen predominantly in children under three, rotavirus infection affects the intestinal track. For most children, rotavirus causes diarrhea, vomiting, and fever. However, in some cases rotavirus leads to severe dehydration and hospitalization. If left untreated, rotavirus can be fatal.

The first vaccine against rotavirus, RotaShield, appeared in 1998. Unfortunately, it was discovered that this version of the vaccine could in rare cases cause the development of intussusception, a serious bowel disease. For this reason, RotaShield was withdrawn.

Before licensing RotaTeq, the vaccine was tested on thousands of children to ensure safety. No health complications have been found with the use of RotaTeq, which was first released in 2006.

Rotavirus vaccination is recommended for all full-term babies aged 6 to 14 weeks. After 15 weeks of age, the first dose of the vaccine should no longer be administered because there is not enough data on its effects in older children. The vaccine is given in three doses, with two months between each dose. It is usually accompanied by other early childhood vaccines. Vaccination against rotavirus has been shown to significantly reduce illness in the United States.

Vaccination against rotavirus has proven incredibly important in decreasing child mortality in certain communities. You can learn about the experiences of a community in Nicaragua in the following video, produced by the Living Proof Project: