Rotavirus vaccines: is the second time the charm?
The rotavirus vaccines that have been evaluated in clinical trials thus far have all been live, attenuated strains delivered orally to mimic natural infections. Early vaccine candidates were animal strains that are naturally attenuated for humans. Due to the lack of consistent protection, these were reassorted with human rotaviruses to create multivalent vaccines with neutralization proteins of the circulating human strains. One of these multivalent candidates, RotaShield, was launched in the US but withdrawn due to association with intussusception. Another vaccine, Rotateq, is expected to be launched by 2006. Human rotaviruses have also been developed as candidate vaccines and Rotarix, which is attenuated by passage in cell culture, has been launched in Mexico and may soon be available worldwide.
Ward
Richard L
RL
Division of Infectious Diseases, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA. dick.ward@cchmc.org
D000818:Animals; D003906:Developing Countries; D049673:History, 20th Century; D006801:Humans; D012400:Rotavirus Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D022243:Rotavirus Vaccines / Q000266:history / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D022243:Rotavirus Vaccines