RotaVirus Disease and Vaccines On-line Resources

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Rotavirus disease

Rotavirus is the most common cause of severe gastroenteritis in children worldwide.

Rotavirus (pronounced "row-tuh-virus") is the most common cause of severe gastroenteritis in children worldwide.
Rotavirus is responsible for the deaths of an estimated 600,000 children each year, 80 percent of whom live in developing countries.
Rotavirus is found in all countries. Most children have had one or more rotavirus infections by the age of 5.
In young children, rotavirus disease is characterized by diarrhea, vomiting, fever, and severe dehydration. Death is caused by dehydration due to rotavirus infection, not by the virus itself.
Rotavirus disease cannot be treated with antibiotics or other drugs. Regardless of hygiene practices or access to clean water, nearly every child in the world will be infected with rotavirus before age 5. Vaccination is the only viable measure to prevent severe rotavirus illness.

Rotavirus vaccines

Studies of two new rotavirus vaccines recently demonstrated their safety and efficacy among children in middle- and high-income countries.

Clinical trials have been launched, and additional studies are planned, to evaluate the impact of vaccines as a method for the prevention of severe rotavirus disease in developing countries. Results generated from these trials will help national governments make informed decisions about introducing the vaccines into the public sector.

Enhancing diarrheal disease control through a combined prevention and treatment strategy—incorporating rotavirus vaccine; new, low-osmolarity formulations of oral rehydration solution; and zinc supplementation during diarrhea episodes—can rapidly and significantly reduce child mortality where diarrheal disease is a serious burden.

A complete and up-to-date list of the following and related resources can be found at
Enhanced Diarrheal Disease Control Resource Center

Featured Resources

Anticipating new vaccines in the Americas (2004)
This editorial supports accelerated rotavirus vaccine introduction and addresses related issues, such as health inequities, program sustainability, and vaccine affordability.
Andrus, et al. Pan American Journal of Public Health. 16(6):369-370.

pdf English 43 kb

Cost-effectiveness of rotavirus vaccines (2005)
This paper reviews economic evaluations of Rotarix® and RotaTeq® and offers suggestions for future analyses of cost-effectiveness.
Walker D, Rheingans R. Expert Review Pharmacoeconomics Outcomes Research. 5(5):593-601.

pdf English 309 kb

Key facts about rotavirus disease and vaccines (2006)
Basic, essential information about rotavirus disease and vaccines against rotavirus.
PATH

pdf English 24 kb |

pdf Español 32 kb |

pdf Russian 174 kb

The promise of new rotavirus vaccines (2006)
This editorial summarizes findings from successful safety and efficacy studies of Rotarix® and RotaTeq® vaccines, while also emphasizing the need for clinical trials to evaluate the vaccines’ performance in developing country settings.
Glass R, Parashar U. New England Journal of Medicine. 354(1): 75-77.

pdf English 694 kb |

pdf Español 230 kb |

pdf Français 232 kb |

pdf Português 247 kb |

pdf Russian 245 kb

Rotavirus and severe childhood diarrhea (2006)
Study authors reviewed literature on hospitalizations related to severe diarrhea and rotavirus and found that, while diarrheal disease incidence has reduced in recent years, due in part to improved hygiene practices, incidence of rotavirus infection has continued to increase.
Parashar U, Gibson C, Bresee J, Glass R. Emerging Infectious Diseases. 12(2):13-17.

pdf English 141 kb

Rotavirus: Questions and answers (2006)
Expanded information on rotavirus incidence and interventions, including vaccines.
PATH

pdf English 34 kb |

pdf Español 41 kb

Rotavirus Vaccine Program
This collaboration between PATH, the World Health Organization (WHO), and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) aims to accelerate the availability of rotavirus vaccines in the developing world.

Safety and efficacy of an attenuated vaccine against severe rotavirus gastroenteritis (2006)
This study evaluated the safety and efficacy of GSK’s rotavirus vaccine (Rotarix®), with a focus on determining risk of intussusception.
Ruiz-Palacios G, Pérez-Schael I, Velázquez F, et al. New England Journal of Medicine. 354(1):11-22.

pdf English 233 kb |

pdf Español 233 kb |

pdf Français 244 kb |

pdf Russian 253 kb

Safety and efficacy of a pentavalent human–bovine (WC3) reassortant rotavirus vaccine (2006)
This study evaluated the safety and efficacy of Merck’s rotavirus vaccine (RotaTeq®), with a focus on determining risk of intussusception.
Vesikari T, Matson D, Dennehy P, et al. New England Journal of Medicine. 354(1):23-33.

pdf English 1.17 mb |

pdf Español 216 kb |

pdf Français 221 kb |

pdf Russian 254 kb

General information

Overview of RotaTeq® human-bovine reassortant rotavirus vaccine (2005)
This presentation reported on studies of the safety and efficacy of the RotaTeq® vaccine manufactured by Merck.
Shaw A, Heaton P. Merck & Co., Inc.

pdf English 182 kb

Proceedings of the Sixth International Rotavirus Symposium (2005)
An overview of the symposium’s sessions, presentations, and discussions.
The Albert B. Sabin Vaccine Institute

pdf English 799 kb |

pdf Español 820 kb

Rotarix® (2005)
This presentation from the director of worldwide medical affairs at GSK offers a profile of Rotarix® and outlines its potential value.
De Vos B. Presented at: GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) R&D Day, London.

pdf English 2.2 mb

RotaShield® vaccine and intussusception Q&A
Answers to common questions about RotaShield®, an earlier vaccine against rotavirus, and the decision of the CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices to no longer recommend it for use.
CDC

pdf English 59 kb

Rotavirus fact sheet (2005)
General information about rotavirus disease.
CDC

pdf English 19 kb |

pdf Español 23 kb

Treatment guidelines

Acute intussusception in infants and children. Incidence, clinical presentation and management: A global perspective (2002)
This report from the WHO estimates global incidence of acute intussusception in developing countries, the condition’s clinical presentation, and trends in clinical management.
World Health Organization (WHO) Department of Immunization, Vaccines, and Biologicals

pdf English 317 kb

Draft recommendations for pentavalent bovine-human rotavirus vaccine (2006)
This presentation outlines recommendations of the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices for introduction of Merck's rotavirus vaccine, RotaTeq®, into the routine US immunization schedule.
CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices Rotavirus Working Group
English PowerPoint presentation 174 kb

Generic protocols for (i) hospital-based surveillance to estimate the burden of rotavirus gastroenteritis in children and (ii) a community-based survey on utilization of health care services for gastroenteritis in children (2002)
WHO developed this guide for use in country activities aimed at collecting data on local rotavirus disease burden.
WHO Department of Immunization, Vaccines, and Biologicals

pdf English 1.5 mb |

pdf Español 1.5 mb

Rotarix® international data sheet (2004)
This informational sheet contains prescription information for administration of Rotarix® in Latin American countries, among others.
GSK

pdf English 67 kb

RotaTeq® package insert (2006)
This document provides information on and directions for administration of Merck’s rotavirus vaccine.
Merck & Co., Inc.

pdf

Research

Global Illness and Deaths Caused by Rotavirus Disease in Children
Parashar UD, Hummelman EG, Bresee JS, Miller MA, Glass RI. Emerg Infect Dis [serial online] 2003 May.

Epidemiology of rotavirus diarrhoea in Africa: A review to assess the need for rotavirus immunization (1998)
This study reviewed the epidemiology and disease burden of rotavirus diarrhea among children at hospitals and clinics in African countries. The long-term review was conducted from 1975 to 1992.
Cunliffe NA, Kilgore PE, Bresee JS, et al. Bulletin of the World Health Organization. 76(5):525-537.

pdf English 562 kb

The epidemiology of rotavirus diarrhea in Latin America: Anticipating new vaccines (2004)
This paper outlines a literature review performed to assess the disease burden and epidemiology of rotavirus diarrhea in Latin America.
Kane E, Turcios R, Arvay M, et al. Pan American Journal of Public Health. 16(6):371-377.

pdf English 100 kb

Evaluation of anatomic changes in young children with natural rotavirus infection: is intussusception biologically plausible? (2004)
This study explores the plausibility of intussusception caused by natural rotavirus infection.
Robinson C, Hernanz-Schulman M, Zhu Y, et al. Journal of Infectious Diseases. 189:1382-1387.

pdf English 300 kb

Global illness and deaths caused by rotavirus disease in children (2003)
This seminal paper estimates global incidence of rotavirus disease and related deaths, based on a review of studies published from 1986 – 2000.
Parashar U, Hummelman E, Bresee J, et al. Emerging Infectious Diseases. 9(5).

pdf English 742 kb

Hospitalizations associated with rotavirus diarrhea in the United States, 1993 through 1995: Surveillance based on the new ICD-9-CM rotavirus-specific diagnostic code (1998)
This study examined trends in rotavirus-associated hospitalizations among US children.
Parashar U, Holman R, Clarke M, et al. Journal of Infectious Diseases. 177:13-17.

pdf English 153 kb

Review of data from the REST and other Phase III studies of the pentavalent human-bovine reassortant rotavirus vaccine, RotaTeq® (2006)
This presentation from the senior director of clinical research at Merck Research Laboratories presents data on safety and efficacy clinical trials of Merck’s rotavirus vaccine. Presented at the CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices meeting; Atlanta, GA.
Heaton P
English PowerPoint presentation

Rotavirus Disease and Vaccines On-line Resources