Healing Connections

Diarrhea and vomiting are not something anyone wants to experience, yet thousands of babies and children experience them annually in the form of the Rotavirus. New Rotavirus vaccines have recently entered the market and are helping to prevent the effects of this dreaded virus. 2006 was the first year Merck’s RotaTeq® vaccination was marketed and has reported great results. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported a reduction in cases of the Rotavirus since the entrance of RotaTeq®, noting that the 2007-2008 Rotavirus season started three months later than it has for the past 15 years, and that diagnosed cases were down last year by almost three fourths. The U.S. vaccine experts are recommending adding Rotavirus vaccinations to the routine immunizations list.

Positive Rotavirus results were down 79 percent during the first year of RotaTeq®. The FDA approved GlaxoSmithKline’s product Rotarix in April of this year and now allows for a choice between the two Rotavirus vaccines. The CDC’s Advisory Committee for immunizations is currently formulating recommendations in regards to the use of both Rotavirus vaccines that seem to be equally safe and effective.

RotaTeq® is given in three oral doses and Rotarix® in two oral doses, both over a six-month period. Rotarix® and RotaTeq® have been approved for use in children ages two months to six months. The main difference between the two is in the dosages. Some of the most common side effects of the vaccinations, per the FDA, were fussiness, irritability, nausea, and cold symptoms such as fever, runny nose and cough.

The Rotavirus is a stomach virus and the top cause of vomiting and diarrhea in children under the age of five. It causes almost 500,000 deaths annually worldwide and usually only takes a couple of days for symptoms to appear. The virus can last up to nine days. Many cases of the Rotavirus can be treated at home, but it is important to try and prevent dehydration by continuing to administer fluids to help replenish the fluids lost through vomiting and diarrhea. Sometimes severe vomiting makes it almost impossible to prevent dehydration and medical attention may be needed. Before Rotavirus vaccinations were available, the FDA had projected that almost every child in the U.S. would suffer from the virus at least once before the age of five.

The Rotavirus is seen most often in the winter and spring. Frequent hand washing can help to prevent the spread of the highly contagious infection.