title: Disease caused by rotavirus infection.
abstract: Although rotavirus vaccines are available, rotaviruses remain the major cause of childhood diarrheal disease worldwide. The Rotarix (GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals Rixensart, Belgium) and RotaTeq (Merck and Co., Inc. Whitehouse Station, New Jersey, USA) vaccines are effective for reducing the morbidity and mortality of rotavirus infection. This article aims to assess the epidemiology of rotaviral gastroenteritis and the efficacy and effectiveness of licensed rotavirus vaccines. This review concludes by presenting challenges in the field that require further exploration by and perspectives from basic and translational research in the future.
authors.affiliation: Internal Medicine Chest Division, Chi-Mei Medical Center, Liouying, Tainan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Che-Liang
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, Da-Chien General Hospital, Miaoli, Taiwan ; General Education Center, Ta Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Shou-Chien
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Chi-Mei Medical Center, Tainan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Shyun-Yeu
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Medicine, Tainan Municipal Hospital, Tainan, Taiwan ; Department of Public Health, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Kow-Tong
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Chen
keywords: Effectiveness; efficacy; rotavirus; rotavirus vaccine.