Prevention of childhood rotavirus disease through the use of Rotarix and RotaTeq vaccines.
Rotaviruses are the most common enteric pathogens to cause acute diarrhoea in infants and young children throughout the world. Two new live, orally administered vaccines (Rotarix and RotaTeq) that provide protection against rotavirus infections are now available and have been licensed in many countries in Europe, North and Latin America. Two recent large clinical trials have demonstrated that their efficacy, immunogenicity and safety, including absence of vaccine-associated intussusception in young infants, are remarkably similar. The protection against severe rotavirus gastroenteritis extends into the second year of follow up for both vaccines. Rotarix and RotaTeq vaccines can be coadministered with routine childhood vaccines. However, more data on the efficacy of these two new vaccines in low-income nations are needed, particularly in Asia and Africa, before global inclusion of rotavirus vaccines into national immunisation programmes can be recommended.
Université Libre de Bruxelles, Department of Pediatrics, Queen Fabiola University Children's Hospital, 15, Avenue JJ Crocq, 1020 Brussels, Belgium. philippe.lepage@huderf.be
Philippe
P
Lepage
Anne
A
Vergison
D000284:Administration, Oral; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D006801:Humans; D007115:Immunization Schedule; D007223:Infant; D011358:Product Surveillance, Postmarketing; D012400:Rotavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D022243:Rotavirus Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014613:Vaccines, Attenuated / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*
C492457:RIX4414 vaccine; C492535:RotaTeq; D022243:Rotavirus Vaccines; D014613:Vaccines, Attenuated